21 Jun 2020

Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security says biogas provides enormous benefits to rural communities.

Mr Lefoko Moagi said this after visiting the Peloyakgomo family in Otse on June 18.

The family has been using biogas technology for cooking and lighting since 2018.

Minister Moagi said the technology reduced the burden placed on electricity because it was cheaper and could be installed anywhere in the country.

Mr Moagi, who is also Member of Parliament for Ramotswa constituency, said the technology also reduced the burden on the environment for provision of firewood.

He noted that biogas used waste from animals which could in turn help to keep the environment clean.

He added that embracing the technology would also result in creating employment for communities through waste collection and the selling of the gas.

He said the use of biogas would avail opportunities for the youth, adding that there was need for them to explore how to capture it and sell it to sustain their lives.

Furthermore, he noted that government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were implementing the biogas project, and that it was being piloted in the South East, Southern, Kgatleng and Kweneng districts.

He said upon completion of the piloting stage, the project would be expanded to other parts of the country.

A family representative and one of the project beneficiaries, Ms Kgomotso Peloyakgomo said the project had significantly reduced their electricity usage.

She said before the project the family spent up to P200 on electricity, but that it had since reduced to approximately P50 in a month for cooking and lighting.

The councillor for Otse South, Ms Sheila Malope said the biogas project could sustain many families and reduce their cost of living.

Cllr Malope said the project reduced spending on electricity and cooking gas, hence the need for beneficiaries to fully utilise biogas. Ends