According to a report from Mark Hankins, a renewable energy consultant and the man behind The Clean Energy Plan for Mozambique, the country's large sugar farms have the needed green biomass potential to power Mozambique. The reports says that electricity generated from sugar cane waste would allow Mozambique to develop energy generation from clean, low-cost options. It could then rapidly implement a plan to suit the geographic distribution of the local energy demand. About 85% of Mozambique's population live without power and most energy operations are in the south, leaving the north bereft of power.
The country has opted out of choosing biomass and an energy production solution. Instead, it has chosen to support a $2 billion dam. This decision has been widely criticized by environmentalists who feel this move will contribute to the water shortages resulting from global warming. A water shortage would have an enormously negative impact on Mozambique's economy. Using sugar waste as biofuel could put 60 MW of energy on the grid and extend electricity to rural areas.
