30 Mar 2025

Generating more power and exporting surplus will improve revenue generation, the economy and diversify channels of creating employment, says Vice President and Finance Minister, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe.

Responding to legislators’ debate after presenting the Botswana Renewable Energy Support and Access Accelerator Loan from International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) Loan Authorisation Bill on Thursday, Mr Gaolathe said the requested funds were for the right reasons.

He said it was right to borrow funds to enhance the country’s efficiency to grow the economy and empower its means of generating income.

“We Will do our best to utilise the funds in a way that will satisfy our people,” he said.

Mr Gaolathe concurred with legislators that the funds must be used accordingly, and said it was equally important that meagre projects in solar energy must add value by offering training to enhance expertise of the local people on green technology.

“I am without doubt that we will build a new Botswana and we must all have a contribution in building a new future and the diverse economy,” he said.

Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi said the current load shedding was a challenge and urged government to take the necessary steps to address the power situation.

He said adequate power supply was the pinnacle to an economy as all its drivers were powered by electricity.

Mr Ramogapi said it was unfortunate to observe that the country continued to rely on supply from other countries as efforts to improve and sustain local demand were failing.

He said green energy sources such as the use of solar and wind energy was an alternative and welcome sources of power generation.

MP for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere said the requested funds would go a long way in improving power supply, especially in the southern part of the country as some of the villages in the region were importing power from South Africa.

Mr Tshere said direct current that would be produced by the proposed solar power plants would be converted into alternative electricity and be supplied into the national power grid.

Selebi Phikwe East MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana said the requested funds must be used accordingly to benefit the people.

Mr Nkawana said solar energy would in the long run reduce cost implications related to power supply.

Even though advocating for power generation by using green technology, he urged government to work on full maintenance of Morupule B as it could be a fallback power supplier in the future.

Shashe West MP, Mr Jeremiah Frenzel said energy from the sun and wind were in abundance in the country.

He said Jamataka before being connected to the national grid, used to have a solar power plant sponsored by the American Embassy, powering the school and other government facilities.

Mr Frenzel said the greatest challenge to the project was theft of solar panels and batteries. He added that it was important to have alternative power generating sources rather than the current situation of relying on a single source of power.

Bobirwa MP, Mr Taolo Lucas said the fund requested came at a time when load shedding was a challenge.

He said it was vividly clear that power supply was a challenge, a situation impacting negatively on households and businesses.

He said the country must not develop the habit of borrowing  even when it was not necessary.

Mr Lucas advised government to guard against corruption masterminds for the funds to be used adequately. He said it was important to develop local expertise in the renewable energy sector. Tlokweng MP, Mr Phenyo Segokgo said Botswana was strategically located as it was land linked and an ideal hub of solar energy, therefore could supply to other countries in the region.

He said Botswana was among top the 20 countries in the world with prolonged heat seasons. ENDS