01 May 2023

The 100 hydro atmospheric water extraction solar panels installed at Lobu Farm are set to end challenges the farm has been experiencing with saline water  which is too expensive to treat.

“Through this sophisticated technology, there will be adequate portable water supply in the farm, no reliance on annual rainfalls or drilling a borehole as it solely extracts water from the atmosphere.”

This was said by Vice President Slumber Tsogwane in an interview Saturday after viewing the cutting edge technology.

Explaining that the technology was the “first of its kind” to be used in Botswana,  he said it would help the farm, deemed  a centre of excellence for small stock production, to impart more technical skills to farmers.

The farm’s manager, Mr Geoffrey Balogi, explained that though the technology was new in Botswana, it had been widely used in dry parts of the US and United Arab Emirates.

It had also reached African countries such as Kenya and South Africa, he said.

Donated by Dr Patrick Shiong-Soon of NantBotswana, the 100 solar panels produce 500 litres a day with one having the capacity to produce up to eight litres depending on the intensity of humidity in the air.

Mr Balogi said 72 were installed  in the administration block, 25 in the kraals and the rest at the residential site.

He explained that the panels did not require much expertise and only one employee was attached during the installation process to learn the ropes of changing water filters.
 

It would be the only minimal maintenance that would be done in-house, he said adding that NantBotswana had covered the panels under a five-year maintenance plan.
The panels  have a lifespan of 20 years.  ENDS