6
EIC guest editorial
by Åsa Gilbert International Business Development Manager, SafeLane Global
The little-known barriers that could devastate your energy project in Mozambique (and how to overcome them) Mozambique boasts a wealth of renewable energy potential, yet explosive remnants of war and an insurgency threat are barriers to harnessing this unrivalled potential. SafeLane Global (formerly BACTEC Mozambique Lda) has been working in Mozambique, demining and mitigating the risks of all explosive threats since 2004 – both on land and in the marine environment. In this article, Åsa Gilbert explains the explosive threats you need to be aware of, and how you can mitigate them to keep your project on track, your reputation intact and your personnel protected. The renewable energy potential and natural resource opportunities in Mozambique Together with the government, the Mozambique Energy Fund (FUNAE) conducted a renewable potential feasibility study focusing on: • Solar • Hydro • Biomass • Wind • Geothermal • Maritime Resources Together, they identified a total potential in excess of 23,000GW – with solar the most abundant at 23,000GW alone. Solar is followed by hydro (19GW), wind (5GW), biomass (2GW) and geothermal (0.1GW). Mozambique is also blessed with an abundance of natural resources including iron ore, tantalite, gold, graphite, marble, bentonite and limestone.
However, because of historic conflict which resulted in the nation being widely affected by landmine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination, these resources have been under-explored and under-utilised – until now. Thanks to political stabilisation after the peace accord of 1992 and the years of demining and battle area clearance (BAC) that followed, Mozambique is now a safer country – ripe for investment. However, it’s critical that investors are aware of the remaining explosive threats when planning their energy project activity in Mozambique; these explosive barriers to safe development must be fully understood, planned for and mitigated against. Understanding Mozambique’s conflict history For centuries, Mozambique was colonised by Portugal. When the collapse of colonialism began in the 20th century, Mozambique was no exception in seeking independence with the Mozambican War of Independence lasting a decade from 1964 to 1974. Independence was declared and Mozambique as we know it was born in 1975. However, political uncertainty was common in many newly independent countries; in Mozambique, this unrest resulted in the 15 year-long Mozambican Civil War, 1977-1992. The deadly and devastating effects of the Mozambican Civil War included the country being heavily contaminated with landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW).
Get in touch Share your news and views...
EIC• (Energy Industries Council) Email@TheEICEnergy newsdesk@the-eic.com Phone +44 (0)20 7091 8600
After the years of conflict ended, intense focus was placed on decontaminating the land and returning it safely to the Mozambican people. In 2015, after two decades of clearance operations the country was declared free of anti-personnel mines in all known minefields. The Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has explained that there may still be areas that are contaminated: “It would be unrealistic to say that there will never again be accidents related to mines or other explosive devices. History shows otherwise.” His comment regarding ‘other explosive devices’ is of critical consideration to those who wish to develop Mozambique and invest in its natural resources. Further consideration must also be given to the explosive threat impact presented by the recent RENAMO insurgency, and the ongoing Islamist insurgency. Planning to enable investment in Mozambique’s future As well as its natural resources, its solar levels and trade winds make Mozambique an ideal location for investment into the development of renewable energy. Consequently, many of the world’s energy companies are planning developments, and the government is hugely supportive because, in spite of a steadily growing GDP, Mozambique is still a developing country affected by poverty. New green energy developments can create employment for local nationals, as well as helping the world move towards a future fuelled by clean, renewable energy.
