16 Mar 2026

Corporation (BPC) is harnessing the country’s exceptional solar resource to build a cleaner, more self-reliant, and economically dynamic energy future, aiming for 50 per cent renewable energy in the national mix by 2030.

In an interview with BOPA recently, BPC Marketing and Communications Manager Ms Kefilwe Kebafetotse emphasised BPC’s central role in Botswana’s electricity supply and broader development goals.

“These assets have long formed the backbone of our national electricity supply,” Ms Kebafetotse said, referring to the coal-fired Morupule A (100 MW) and Morupule B (600 MW) plants, complemented by emergency diesel peaking stations at Orapa (90 MW) and Matshelagabedi (70 MW).

Annual consumption stands at approximately 4,800 GWh, with peak demand approaching 700 MW and growing at about 5 per cent per year. Ms Kebafetotse noted that the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) and National Development Plan 12 (NDP12) would fuel further demand, aligning with the government’s vision to establish Botswana as a citizen-led regional energy hub powering Africa through a resilient, inclusive, and clean energy economy.

Under the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), BPC is pursuing a least-cost, long-term strategy that ensures energy security while accelerating decarbonisation. Significant progress is anticipated in the final quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, driven by remediation at Morupule B and the commercial launch of the 100 MW Mmadinare Solar Plant, with the first phase of 50 MW already operational and the second nearing completion.

These efforts were projected to raise locally generated electricity to at least 72 per cent of demand on a sustained basis, sharply cutting import reliance and bolstering national energy security.

Botswana’s world-class solar resource is yielding tangible results. Ms Kebafetotse reported that BPC has commissioned 109.3 MW of grid-connected solar PV, including smaller plants at Phakalane (1.5 MW), Bobonong (3 MW), Shakawe (1 MW), Ghanzi (4 MW), and the flagship Mmadinare cluster (100 MW). 

This, she said, had elevated solar PV to roughly 21 per cent of effective installed capacity, with plans to reach around 42 per cent renewables in the coming financial year. Momentum was building with the 100 MW Jwaneng Solar Project, one of the country’s largest utility-scale initiatives, under construction and on track for commissioning in 2026, alongside the advancing 4 MW Lobatse Solar Project.

By 2030, Ms Kebafetotse outlined ambitions for up to 1.3 GW of solar capacity, with BPC serving as system operator and off-taker to guarantee bankability and smooth grid integration. Economic inclusion remains integral, with projects up to 20 MW reserved for 100 per cent citizen-owned companies to foster local ownership, skills development, and sustainable businesses.

Beyond utility-scale projects, the Rooftop Solar Programme empowers households and businesses to generate and sell surplus power to the grid, with 28 MW already commissioned toward a revised target of 75 MW.

While renewables advance rapidly, reliable baseload capacity is vital for grid stability during the shift to variable clean sources. Ms Kebafetotse confirmed that the IRP incorporates additional baseload provisions to provide the flexibility required for high renewable penetration without sacrificing reliability.

Botswana boasts an impressive electricity access rate, around 83 per cent across gazetted villages and approximately 76 per cent nationally, one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. To reach remote communities, BPC is deploying off-grid solar solutions in six identified villages, ensuring an inclusive energy transition.

Ms Kebafetotse described Botswana’s approach as deliberate, balanced, and people-centred, carefully managing trade-offs between security, affordability, and environmental responsibility while maximising opportunities for citizens and businesses.

She highlighted Botswana’s recent registration under the International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC) framework, which would soon allow BPC to issue certificates to customers pursuing decarbonisation.

Through sustained baseload investment, aggressive renewable deployment, and deliberate citizen engagement, BPC is delivering a just energy transition, one that keeps the lights on today, drives prosperity tomorrow, and positions Botswana as a confident, forward-looking regional energy powerhouse for generations to come. BOPA