16 Feb 2025

 Government is committed to the use of alternative energy sources and projects are currently on course, Minister of Minerals and Energy Ms Bogolo Kenewendo says.

She told Parliament on Thursday, that the ministry was currently undertaking numerous green energy projects which included construction of solar energy projects (100 Mega Watts (MW) Solar PhotoVoltaic (PV) at Mmadinare, 100MW solar PV in Jwaneng, 100 MW solar PV at Letlhakane, 100 MW wind at Letlhakane, 200MW concentrated solar power in Maun, 35MW small scale solar PV grid connected (12 across the country ranging between 1 to 4 MW).

She said government was in the process of implementing the Roof Top Solar programme and Biogas Roll-Out Programme across the country.

She explained that these projects were intended to be a guide in increasing local power generation to satisfy local demand and eventually serve the export market.

Minister Kenewendo said all the ongoing solar PV projects were planned for review with an objective to increase their generation capacity to meet demand in the short term and serve export market in the mid to long term.

She said government planned to meet the target of 50 percent renewable energy contribution in the generation mix by the year 2030, hence the current projects stood to be reviewed accordingly, adding that the ministry was currently revising the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to fasttrack implementation of the renewables energy projects.

She said the 3MW Solar PV in Bobonong had employed 12 people on permanent basis for operation while the 100MW Solar PV at Mmadinare employed 42 people for construction.

“Most of the above mentioned projects are still at procurement stage and are more likely to create proportional employment levels during implementation,” she said.

Ms Kenewendo highlighted that the operation and maintenance of a Solar PV power plant was minimal compared to other technologies hence lower number of employment creation during operation.

She was responding to a question asked by MP for Bobirwa, Mr Taolo Lucas who wanted her give an update on the current green or alternative energy projects in Botswana and the extent to which the projects maximise the full potential of the sector. ENDS