14 Dec 2020

Government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing a project called Promoting production and utilisation of biogas from agro-waste in South Eastern Botswana.

Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Mr Lefoko Moagi told Parliament Friday that the project sought to facilitate low carbon investment in the production and utilisation of biogas from agro-waste in the districts of South Eastern Botswana to generate energy for cooking, heating and lighting.

He said the project was financed by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and implemented by the ministry though the department of energy on behalf of the ministry of environment, natural resources conservation and tourism.

Minister Moagi said the four-year project began in 2017 and would be completed in March next year. He said the project targeted 200 biogas digesters pilot phase.

He explained that the biofuel production project sought to stimulate the development of the local biofuel industry. He said it was a buildup from the Botswana-Japan Jatropha research project findings, which looked into the cultivation methods of jatropha oil plant.

He said the project aimed at researching on other potential species, beef tallow and used cooking oil.

Minister Moagi said it was expected that at the end of the project research institutions would develop research programmes for the application and implementation of renewable energy technologies.

He said the project was also likely to stimulate small scale biodiesel production at community levels, adding that such move would also address issues such as poverty alleviation among rural communities.

He said the duration of the project was four years from 2018 to 2022 April and the ministry would be supporting investors who were developing biomass projects on a pilot basis on order to proof concept and once concept was proven they would be scaled up and connected to the grid.

Gaborone Central MP Mr Tumisang Healy had asked the minister to explain on recent biogas, biodiesel projects and how they were benefitting Batswana.  ENDS