Independent power producer Scatec will construct a 50MW solar project in Botswana after signing a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with state-owned utility Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) this week.
Set to be deployed in Selibe Phikwe, a former mining town in the east of the country, the PV plant will be owned by Scatec, which will also serve as EPC, asset manager and O&M contractor.
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“We are proud to have reached this milestone with the BPC – demonstrating our ability to support and deliver clean energy and infrastructure to sub-Saharan Africa,” said Jan Fourie, general manager of sub-Saharan Africa at Scatec.
Botswana announced in 2020 that renewables would account for at least 15% of the country’s energy mix by 2030, with a 50% renewable energy contribution to the mix by 2036.
Earlier this month, investor Responsability Investments announced that it provided long-term debt financing to the first two grid-connected PV projects in Botswana. The 1MW and 3MW plants have 25-year PPAs in place with BPC.
In neighbouring South Africa, Scatec recently signed PPAs for three co-located solar and storage projects that include 540MW of PV capacity.
As reported by sister site Energy-Storage.news today, Norwegian state-backed credit agency Eksfin is providing US$102 million in guarantees for the three projects.