Botswana has formalised a 30-year power purchase agreement for a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant paired with 500 megawatt-hours of battery storage in Maun, representing the country’s single largest renewable energy commitment to date. The groundbreaking was attended by President Duma Boko, who described the moment as a decisive shift from planning to implementation in Botswana’s energy policy.
The project is being developed through a government-to-government partnership with Oman. It will supply electricity directly to the national grid, using battery storage to capture excess solar generation and release it during evening peak demand periods — a feature officials say is essential for improving grid stability and overcoming the intermittency challenges inherent in solar power.
Botswana has historically relied heavily on electricity imports due to limited domestic generation capacity and persistent technical challenges at key coal plants, including the troubled Morupule B facility. The Maun project is explicitly designed to reduce this dependence. The government aims to increase the share of renewables in the national energy mix from around 8 percent today to 50 percent by 2030, and Maun is expected to be a major driver of that transition.
The development builds on earlier solar projects at Selebi-Phikwe, Palapye, and Mmadinare, with Maun selected for its high solar irradiance and growing regional electricity demand. Beyond strengthening domestic supply, officials said improved electricity availability will support industrial expansion and ease pressure on imported power from the Southern African Power Pool.
Source: angolanminingoilandgas.com