19 Dec 2022

The Ministry of Minerals and Energy has requested Parliament to approve over P4 billion as proposed budget estimates for programmes and projects to be implemented through the Transitional National Development Plan.

Presenting budget proposals and programmes in Parliament Minister of Minerals and Energy Mr Lefoko Moagi said his ministry was tasked with creating an enabling environment in the form of infrastructural development in the energy sector and in the energy sector, to generate revenue for development as well as wealth creation through beneficiation efforts.

He said the ministry remained committed to the National Climate Change Policy and Botswana’s international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He said the emission of greenhouse gases was estimated to have fallen from 30 900Gg in 2017/18 to 24 700Gg in 2019/20 which showed improvement in the level of emissions.

Mr Moagi said in 2020 government launched the Rooftop Solar programme to create an environment in which electricity end users could generate their own electricity and sell excess power to Botswana Power Corporation (BPC).

He said the programme had received positive response in terms of applications some of which had been installed and commissioned.

He said the country’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electric generation over the next two decades entailed a major shift towards renewable energy and less reliance on energy generated from fossil fuels. Ends