GABORONE, Sept. 10– Botswana intends to fully utilize its immense solar energy resource, as the country transitions from a fossil-based energy system to a diversified one, an official said Tuesday. Speaking at the commissioning of a 1-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Shakawe in the northwest of Botswana, Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi said the country envisages securing a total of 1,076 MW of renewable energy, comprising 636 MW of solar PV, 200 MW of concentrating solar, 100 MW of wind, and 140 MW of battery energy storage. “Thirteen power purchase agreements for the development, construction, and operation of two utility-scale and 10 small-scale grid-tied solar PV plants have been executed by Botswana Power Corporation and the selected independent power producers,” said Moagi.
The Botswanan government is in the final procurement stage for a 200-MW concentrating solar plant to be located in Maun in northwestern Botswana and a 100-MW solar PV plant to be located in Letlhakane in central Botswana, said Moagi, adding that the commercial operation of these power plants is expected at the end of 2026. According to Moagi, Botswana is endowed with more than 3,200 hours of sunshine per year. “This gives an average insolation on a flat surface of 21 megajoules per square meter, which is among the highest in the world, making Botswana a potential hub for solar-generated energy,” he stated. To reduce the country’s carbon emissions, Botswana‘s National Energy Policy and Vision 2036 calls for a diversified energy system, with renewable energy sources contributing 30 percent to the energy mix by 2030 and increasing to 50 percent by 2036.
