05 Aug 2021

Development of renewable energies can help mitigate climate change and increase access to reliable, clean energy to alleviate poverty as well as stimulate and drive economic development, Parliament heard Wednesday. 

Responding to a parliamentary question, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi said such would also enable Botswana to meet rising power demand, reduce dependency on power imports, diversify generation and energy supply portfolios. 

In order to meet the local energy demand and be able to export excess electricity Mr Moagi said, his ministry had developed an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)  which was launched in December last year. 

“An IRP is a 20-year roadmap for power generation and takes on board different technologies for power generation. Integrated Energy Planning and developing an IRP are an integral part of the energy planning process in Botswana as guided by the NDP 11 and other sector policies. The target is to have 15 per cent contribution of the renewable energy to the electricity mix and 100 per cent electricity availability by 2030,” he said. 

He said from the beginning of the 2020 planning period, Botswana was relying on electricity imports, adding, ‘I believe that the expected increase in local generation from year 2024, will significantly reduce electricity import. From year 2027, Botswana will be a net exporter of electricity.’

 He added that the IRP had identified some projects for implementation over the period from 2020 to 2040 which included the 2X50 MW solar photovoltaic projects located in Selebi Phikwe and Jwaneng. 

He said the Selebi Phikwe project had been awarded and the power plant for second site (Jwaneng) was under procurement. 

“These projects will be implemented by the private sector. Both sites are expected to be in commercial operation by December, 2022,” he explained. 

The other project is the 12 grid-tied small scale Solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 35 MW of which six sites including Shakawe, Bobonong, Lobatse, Molepolole, Maun and Ghanzi had been awarded and the remaining six sites; Kang, Tsabong, Tutume, Serowe, Charleshill and Kasane were at procurement stage. 

He indicated that all the 12 sites were expected to be in commercial operation by December 2022, providing a total of 35MW. 

Further, he said the 100 MW Coal Bed Methane (CBM) project which is currently under procurement, and the 200MW Concentrated Solar Project (CSP) would be procured in 2022 while the 100 MW Solar Photovoltaic would be implemented in NDP 12. 

Other projects, he said, included the 50 MW Wind Power project which would be implemented in NDP 12 while the battery storage would allow supply of electricity during morning and evening peak hours. The minister further explained that the Electricity Supply Act which was amended in 2007 had led to liberalisation of the electricity sector and made provision for private companies to participate in electricity generation. 

However, he said transmission and distribution of electricity was still carried out by Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), adding that private companies were expected to sign Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in order to sell electricity to BPC. 

“My ministry has taken a deliberate decision that all renewable energy projects inclusive of solar projects that are in the IRP will be implemented by Independent Power Producers. The projects will be tendered for following the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act,” he said. 

Furthermore, Mr Moagi informed Parliament that the ministry had developed Rooftop Solar Programme to create an environment in which end-users can generate their own electricity and sell any excess to BPC. 

“The programme was launched in 2020 and is a suitable alternative mechanism to increase the uptake of solar energy and facilitate private sector participation. The system-wide aggregate capacity of the Programme in the first 12 months is capped at 10 MW. The programme covered household, commercial and industrial sectors. So far, a total of 73 applications were received with 71 already evaluated by BPC. Of the 71 applications evaluated, about 30 will be awarded by December 2021.” 

Meanwhile, Mr Moagi said the ministry played a leading role in the development of the electricity sector whilst the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) regulated the sector by guaranteeing a competitive environment. 

Jwaneng-Mabutsane MP, Mr Mephato Reatile had wanted to know when the ministry would establish a clear plan on solar energy as Botswana had the potential to process solar energy and to reduce imports of electricity and export the surplus. 

MP Reatile also wanted to know if the ministry would foster an environment in which private companies can harness the solar energy for resale. Ends