Shumba Energy expects to mobilise construction for the 100-megawatt Tati Solar Project in the first three months of this year.
In an update to investors on Wednesday, the energy junior said the latest timelines follow the successful execution of an Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract in December and the locking in of project costs.
Directors said community engagement activities continue with the aim to strengthen local relationships ahead of construction. Carbon credit validation is also progressing well, with the Gold Standard certification process on track for registration in 2026. Originally conceived more than five years ago, the Tati Solar photovoltaic project will sit on 300 hectares and is expected to cost more than P800 million.
The plant’s output is targetted at the Southern African Power Pool, and Shumba is expected to be the first company based in Botswana to test the pricing around renewable energy at a time when nearly all the power available in the market is coal-fired. Solar plant capital and operating costs have been sliding in recent years and in some regions are even lower than fossil fuels.
