A new policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute looks at how Malawi could transition from traditional to modern bioenergy.

“Agroforestry approaches could improve land management and soil fertility, and provide more effective bioenergy feedstock options,” the brief suggests. Smallholder production of the biofuel, Jatropha, is currently being blended with diesel and paraffin, and this could help to address energy insecurity in the country.

Malawi relies heavily on traditional biomass (88% of its total energy and 98% of its household energy) which has contributed significantly to land degradation and deforestation. Access to modern energy sources is low.

Although the country has 30 years’ experience with sugarcane ethanol production and blending with petrol, production is underutilized. With improvements to infrastructure and supportive policies, biofuels could be scaled up considerably.

Climate change is also likely to have an impact on the sector, especially given Malawi’s high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, hydropower and traditional biomass.

For more information on the policy brief, see Energy Access and Biomass Resource Transitions in Malawi