The World Bank Group has approved plans to develop Botswana''s first utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) with 50MW output and 200MWh storage capacity.
The World Bank will support the 4-hour duration BESS via a loan of US$88 million. It will also receive a US$30 million loan and a US$4 million grant from the Green Climate Fund''s Sustainable Renewables Risk Mitigation Initiative Facility.
The BESS will be situated at Selebi Phikwe/Mmadinare and Jwaneng, where the Southern African country’s first large-scale solar PV plants, each with a capacity of 100MW, are planned. The targeted operational date for Selebi Phikwe/Mmadinare is 2025, and for Jwaneng, it is 2026.
According to documents accompanying the World Bank''s announcement, it is hoped the BESS will lay the foundation for further development of a pipeline of energy storage assets in the country to support its energy transition. Crucially, this will increase the number of BESS assets in the country, helping provide flexibility, which is currently absent.
This must be scaled rapidly, with Botswana set to enable the first grid integration of 335MW of solar PV capacity by the end of 2026. With the government looking to install 1GW of wind and solar PV capacity by 2030, the World Bank claims that 140MW of BESS will be required to facilitate the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE).
Commenting on the financing, Satu Kahkonen, World Bank country director for Botswana, said: "In addition to financing, the World Bank will provide technical assistance to facilitate further renewable energy projects. This is an important part of our commitment to support more sustainable and inclusive growth in Botswana."
The World Bank will provide financing to help develop the BESS and support the Botswana government in its ongoing efforts to improve energy access. This will include financing for expanding the grid to rural villages and enhancing electricity services in the Southern districts.
Lefoko Moagi, Botswana’s minister of minerals and energy, said the finance will "support us [Botswana] to harness our rich renewable energy resources for a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future" and will be "an important driver of economic growth."
Other projects supported by the multilateral development finance institution recently covered by Energy-Storage.news include Mozambique’s first-ever solar-plus-storage plant, developed by independent power producer (IPP) Globeleq and brought into commercial operation late last year, and 36MW of solar PV paired with 20MW/19MWh of battery storage across two ‘pre-assembled’ hybrid projects in Cameroon’s Grand North region, brought online last September by Norwegian developer Scatec.
In November, government-owned Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) was selected to deploy an energy storage pilot project in that country by the World Bank, while a few days ago Somalia’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) launched a World Bank-supported tender for 46 solar and storage off-grid power plants with storage capacity totalling 5MWh.
The World Bank announced it had approved financing for Botswana''s first grid-scale battery energy storage system as part of the agency''s first lending operation to support renewable energy development in the African nation.
The project will finance grid investment and Botswana''s first 50 MW utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) to support integration of the first wave of renewable energy projects in the country.
The World Bank will offer a loan of $88 million while the Green Climate Fund''s Sustainable Renewables Risk Mitigation Initiative Facility will offer a $30 million loan and a $4 million grant.
An additional $3.5 million grant from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program will offer technical assistance on solar, wind, and storage project development, the bank noted in a release.
Lefoko Moagi, Botswana''s Minister of Minerals and Energy, said in the release: "With the financing support and technical assistance from the World Bank, this investment will support us to harness our rich renewable energy resources for a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future. This is not only critical for our own energy security, but also provides an important driver of economic growth."
The Botswana Renewable Energy Support and Access Accelerator (RESA) Project, approved on July 11, 2024, aims to transform the African country''s energy landscape by enabling renewable energy solutions and improving electricity access.
In it release, the World Bank noted: "Botswana has vast untapped resources for renewable energy. It has set an admirable target to increase renewable energy to 30 percent of its energy mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2036. The first wave of 335 MW renewable energy projects is already at different stages of development by private sector power producers."
In addition, the World Bank project will support the government''s efforts to improve energy access by financing the expansion of the country''s grid to rural villages and improve electricity services in the nation''s southern districts.
Satu Kahkonen, World Bank Country Director for Botswana, said: "The World Bank is pleased to support Botswana''s commitment to expand domestic energy generation with renewable solutions. In addition to financing, the World Bank will provide technical assistance to facilitate further renewable energy projects. This is an important part of our commitment to support more sustainable and inclusive growth in Botswana."
The BESS will be situated at Selebi Phikwe/Mmadinare and Jwaneng, where the Southern African country''s first large-scale solar PV plants, each with a capacity of 100MW, are planned. The targeted operational date for Selebi Phikwe/Mmadinare is 2025, and for Jwaneng, it is 2026.
Lefoko Moagi, Botswana''s minister of minerals and energy, said the finance will "support us [Botswana] to harness our rich renewable energy resources for a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future" and will be "an important driver of economic growth."
Other projects supported by the multilateral development finance institution recently covered by Energy-Storage.news include Mozambique''s first-ever solar-plus-storage plant, developed by independent power producer (IPP) Globeleq and brought into commercial operation late last year, and 36MW of solar PV paired with 20MW/19MWh of battery storage across two ''pre-assembled'' hybrid projects in Cameroon''s Grand North region, brought online last September by Norwegian developer Scatec.
In November, government-owned Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) was selected to deploy an energy storage pilot project in that country by the World Bank, while a few days ago Somalia''s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR)launched a World Bank-supported tender for 46 solar and storage off-grid power plants with storage capacity totalling 5MWh.
Botswana is focusing on renewable energy, leading to a significant transformation of the country's energy landscape by promoting renewable solutions and improving access to electricity. The newly approved loan from the World Bank will finance necessary investments in the grid and the countryu2019s first 50 MW battery energy storage system.
This will allow the initial wave of renewable energy production to be integrated and managed within the grid. Additionally, it will support the Botswana government's ongoing efforts to enhance energy access by funding the extension of the grid to rural villages and improving electricity services in southern districts.
The country has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy to 30% of its energy mix by 2030 and to 50% by 2036, with an initial wave of 335 MW renewable energy projects currently under development.
Furthermore, Botswana has secured a loan from the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund, totaling $125.5 million, to help develop its first large-scale 50 MW battery energy storage system.
This energy storage system, a key project of the government's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), will support the wave of renewable energy production in Botswana and ensure a "smooth integration" into the national grid.
Botswana is focusing on renewable energy, leading to a significant transformation of the country''s energy landscape by promoting renewable solutions and improving access to electricity. The newly approved loan from the World Bank will finance necessary investments in the grid and the country''s first 50 MW battery energy storage system.
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