13 Dec 2020

Two 50Megawatts (MW) solar power projects are at procurement stage and scheduled commercial operation is August 2022.

The Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Mr Lefoko Moagi told Parliament during minister’s question time that the implementation of the projects was carried out by an Independent Power Producer (IPP).

He said one of the solar project would be built at Selebi Phikwe and the other in Jwaneng and that the identification of the two sites was chosen following the grid integration study which considered appropriate area for evacuation of electricity.

He noted that a total of 12 solar photovoltaic mini grids would be built in 12 villages across the country. He said the sizes of the solar power station ranged from 0.4MW to 4MW with a total capacity of 35MW.

Mr Moagi said only two of 12 projects on tender had been awarded and they would be built in Bobonong and Shakawe villages while the commercial operation was scheduled for June next year. 

He said the other ten sites were still at tender stage and scheduled to operate February 2022. 

He said the ministry intended to roll out off-grid solar solution that included Solar Home Systems, Solar Water Heaters and PV for Water Pumping in order to meet the energy access objectives. He explained that the programme targeted areas that were far away from the grid with solar home systems, solar heaters and PV for water pumping. 

He said the areas were expensive to expand the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) network. 

He noted that the ministry with the technical support from Power Africa had developed the rooftop solar programme aimed at creating an environment in which end users could generate their own electricity and sell excess to BPC. 

He said the targeted capacity of the programme was 10MW of which 2 MW was reserved for the household and the remaining for commercial.

Gaborone Central MP Mr Tumisang Healy had asked the minister to elucidate on the recent solar power projects and how they were benefitting Batswana. ends