Italy handholds Botswana in renewable energy :: Mmegi Online

The government, through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MENT) has managed to secure over £2 million (P23.5 million) from the Italian government to help improve the renewable energy sector in the country.

Addressing the media this week, deputy permanent secretary (environmental affairs) Thabang Botshoma said following the Cop21 conference last year, Botswana and Italy singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on climate change issues. As part of the agreement, Italy sponsored Botswana with £2 million to fund the renewable energy projects.

“At this point, some projects have already started inclusive of the greening of the Metrological Services and MENT headquarters office. We have managed to secure more funds to finance these other projects as we have not yet touched the £2 million,” he said. Botswana does not currently have any renewable energy source apart from a 1.3 MW solar plant in Phakalane, Gaborone.

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