Debswana, BPC join hands for renewable energy
Mbongeni Mguni | Wednesday June 4, 2025 11:45
Debswana intends to reach carbon neutrality at its operations by 2030 and the adoption of renewable energy forms a major component of this effort. The diamond group presently consumes 410MW of electricity and is engaged in various efforts to convert this to renewable sources.
Officials explained that the agreement establishes a framework to harness renewable energy attributes from solar power stations, creating a platform to drive industrial decarbonisation. These attributes are quantified through Renewable Energy Certificates, a globally recognised mechanism that allows companies to transparently demonstrate renewable energy use and reduce their carbon footprint.
“Debswana's decarbonisation strategy is structured around four key pillars which are reducing energy intensity, transitioning to alternative fuels, decarbonising electricity supply, and carbon recovery initiatives,” said Debswana managing director, Andrew Motsomi. “As part of our decarbonisation strategy, we have been actively improving operational energy efficiency and surpassed annual targets. “We have also made significant strides in decarbonising our electricity supply, commissioning over 1.6MW of rooftop solar capacity across Debswana operations.”
Motsomi noted that for Debswana, going green was essential in adding value to diamonds.
“Natural diamonds face competition from lab growns and it’s very important for us to show the world that we are conscious of the negative impact that non-green energy plays on the environment. “Our decarbonisation initiatives will have an enriching impact on the story of our natural diamonds,” he said.
Debswana’s executive head of Safety and Sustainability, Mpho Mosate, told MonitorBusiness that the various initiatives around energy efficiency were already paying off, with the group reducing its carbon emissions by 10% or 83 kilotons.
“We have also looked at electric vehicle adoption, which we piloted last year. “With the support of the BPC and government we have also implemented rooftop solar in Orapa and Jwaneng, which have reduced our consumption from the grid,” she said.
Debswana’s partnership with the BPC will enable the diamond group to participate in the upcoming projects under which the electricity utility aims to generate 1.5GW of renewable energy in the coming years.
“This initiative reflects Botswana’s commitment to the global climate agenda and supports the national Integrated Resource Plan to build a cleaner, more resilient energy future,” said BPC CEO, David Kgoboko. “With 1.5GW of planned renewables and 50MW already online at Mmadinare Solar Plant, BPC is delivering real progress towards a sustainable energy mix.”