29 Aug 2021

The need for energy, particularly renewable energy, power infrastructure and energy efficiency can not be overemphasised in today’s world, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Mr Lefoko Moagi has said.

Speaking during a renewables readiness assessment report virtual launch recently, Mr Moagi stressed the importance of appreciating and addressing the challenges posed by energy provision.

He said the challenges included planning, policies and strategies, human capacity development and training, financial resources, technology, infrastructure provision, awareness and cultural matters.

Turning to the report, he said it was the result of technical support provided by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). “I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the release of this report comes at a time at which the Parliament of Botswana recently adopted the Botswana National Energy Policy (NEP),” he said.

Mr Moagi said the policy outlined government’s intentions for effective development and management of the energy sector.

It also contributed towards achievement of national prosperity and economic diversification to guide the management and development of Botswana’s energy sector, especially the substantive penetration of new and renewable energy sources into the country’s energy mix, said the minister. 

He further pointed out that in 2018, the ministry, with World Bank technical assistance, developed instruments to guide the development of renewables sector such as the renewable energy strategy. 

The ministry also developed an integrated resource plan in 2020 outlining the power build programme up to 2040, which included generation of power from renewables, said the minister. Mr Moagi  said the plan was an integral part of the energy planning process as guided by National Development Plan 11 and other energy sector policies. 

The plan, he said,  included a number of projects which coincided with the report such as implementation of the ongoing biogas pilot project. 

On other projects, Minister Moagi said the Off Grid Solar Programme was still at an early stage of development while implementation of the Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic project had already started following its launch last November. 

He confirmed that the project, covering household, commercial and industrial sectors, had its system-wide aggregate capped at 12MW in the first 12 months.ends