Biomass Energy Generation

Sugar Cane farm. Drone photo of cane sugar. Sugarcane field in eSwatini, Africa.

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Biomass Energy Generation
SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Renewable Resources and Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy
Business Model Description

Set up and operate biomass plants for bagasse cogeneration and fuel-grade ethanol production from residues generated by the sugar and forestry industries, to meet own energy demand of industries and sell excess power to the national energy grid through a power purchasing agreement with the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC).

Expected Impact

Utilise biomass waste from sugar and forestry industries to enhance energy security and reduce import dependency.

Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
10% - 15% (in IRR)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
185 MW biomass generation potential; timber and sugar industries with co-generation capacity potential of 168 MW
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
> USD 10 million
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) Climate Action (SDG 13) Good health and well-being (SDG 3)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) Life on Land (SDG 15)
Sector Sources
  • 1) Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. 2018. Kingdom Of Eswatini Energy Masterplan 2034. http://www.gov.sz/images/Media/WEB_KINGDOM_OF_ESWATINI_ENERGY_MASTERPLAN_2034-1.pdf 2) Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2019. National Development Plan (NDP) 2019/20-2021/22. http://www.gov.sz/images/CabinetMinisters/NDP-2019-20-to-2021-22-final.pdf 3) FinMark Trust. 2020. Financial Inclusion Refresh. https://finmark.org.za/system/documents/files/000/000/391/original/Eswatini_Financial_Inclusion_Refresh.pdf?1614849476 4) USAID. 2021. Eswatini Power Africa Sheet. https://www.usaid.gov/powerafrica/eswatini 5) Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. 2018. National Energy Policy. https://www.gov.sz/images/natural-resources/energy/NATIONAL_ENERGY_POLICY_PRINT.pdf 6) Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2017. Strategy for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth (SSDIG) (Offline) 7) African Development Bank & Green Climate Fund. 2018. Eswatini Energy Programme. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/21210-eswatini-energy-programme.pdf 8) African Development Bank. 2020. Country Strategy Paper 2020-2024. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/eswatini-country-strategy-paper-2020-2024 9) Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs & Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2021. Kingdom of Eswatini’s Revised Nationally Determined Contributions (Offline) 10) Renewables Now. 2021. Eswatini pursues more renewables to reduce power imports. https://renewablesnow.com/news/eswatini-pursues-more-renewables-to-reduce-power-imports-742297/
IOA Sources
  • 11) Renewables Now. 2021. Eswatini pursues more renewables to reduce power imports. https://renewablesnow.com/news/eswatini-pursues-more-renewables-to-reduce-power-imports-742297/ 12) ILLOVO Sugar Africa: Ubombo Sugar ltd. 2022. ILLOVO Sugar Africa Company Website. https://www.illovosugarafrica.com/about-us/eswatini 13) MONTIGNY. 2022. Company website: Renewable Energy. https://montigny.co.sz/renergy.html 14) Hagan & Ndhlukula. 2016. Kingdom of Swaziland Sustainable Energy for All Investment. Prospectus. https://www.se4all-africa.org/fileadmin/uploads/se4all/Documents/Country_IPs/Swaziland_Investment_Prospectus.pdf 15) FinMark Trust. 2021. Agricultural Finance Scoping. https://finmark.org.za/system/documents/files/000/000/511/original/FMT_SADC_FI_Agriculture_eSwatini.pdf?1629903465 16) International Renewable Energy Agency. 2018. Eswatini Energy Profile. https://www.irena.org/IRENADocuments/Statistical_Profiles/Africa/Eswatini_Africa_RE_SP.pdf 17) African Development Bank. 2018. Eswatini Energy Programme. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/21210-eswatini-energy-programme.pdf 18) UNDP. 2020. Energy and the poor: Unpacking the investment case for clean energy. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/publications/UNDP-UNCDF-eSwatini-Energy-and-the-Poor.pdf 19) Government of Estwatini. 2020. Post COVID-19 Kingdom of Eswatini Economic Recovery Plan. http://www.gov.sz/images/CORONA/FINAL-POST-COVID-19-ECONOMIC-RECOVERY-PLAN-ESWATINI-14082020_compressed.pdf 20) IRENA. 2014. Renewables Readiness Assessment. https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2014/IRENA_RRA_Swaziland_2014.pdf 21) Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini. 2015. Independent Power Producers (IPP) Policy. https://www.esera.org.sz/legislation/docs/1578991946.pdf 22) Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. 2019. Energy efficiency and Conservation Policy. https://www.energycharter.org/fileadmin/DocumentsMedia/Other_Publications/EE-Eswatini2019.pdf 23) Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. 2007. THE SWAZILAND ELECTRICITY COMPANY ACT. http://www.eec.co.sz/aboutus/legislation/docs/Swaziland%20Electricity%20Company%20Act%202007.pdf 24) GET Invest. 2021. Eswatini. https://www.get-invest.eu/market-information/eswatini/market-segments/ 25) UNDP Stakeholder Consultation with Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation. February, 2022 26) US Department of State. 2021 Investment Climate Statements: Eswatini. https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-investment-climate-statements/eswatini/ 27) USAID. December, 2016. An Analysis of the Profitability of Investments in Biomass Power Plants within the Current System of Incentives in the Federation of BiH. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00W4WP.pdf 28) United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. Statistics, SDG Indicators Database. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/UNSDG/IndDatabasePage 29) UNDP Stakeholder Consultation with Eswatini Energy Company, February 2022 30) World Bank Group. 2020. Eswatini Climate Risk Country Profile. https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/15929-WB_eSwatini%20Country%20Profile-WEB.pdf 31) Times of Eswatini. June 2021. ESERA to Regulate Government's Petroleum Company. https://www.pressreader.com/eswatini/times-of-eswatini/20210606/281827171697571 32) UNDP Stakeholder Consultation with Eswatini Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. January, 2022 33) Eswatini Electricity Company. 2022. Website: INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY SUBSIDY & APPLICATION PROCESS. http://www.eec.co.sz/clients/lifeline/index.php 34) UNDP stakeholder consultation with Eswatini Electricity Company. February 2022 35) Brabys Media Holdings. 2022. Website, PEAK TIMBERS LTD. https://eswatini.searchinafrica.com/business/5837053/eswatini/piggs-peak/timber-sawmilling/forestry-saws/forestry-timber-sawmill/peak-timbers-ltd 36) Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency. Public Procurement Regulations 2020. https://sppra.co.sz/sppra/documents/regulations/Pages%20from%20Eswatini%20Government%20Gazette%20-%2018th%20Dec%202020.pdf