U. S. Ambassador launches Solar Program to help Botswana achieve Energy Security

The U. S. government, through the Southern Africa Energy Program of the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology, and Energy Security launched the Rooftop Solar Program.

This watershed event underlines the strong partnership between the United States and Botswana.

Most importantly, RTS marks the U. S. government’s commitment to Botswana’s energy security and ensures that Botswana harnesses its sustainable energy resources in order to diversify its economy for its people to prosper.

U. S. Ambassador Craig L. Cloud and minister of minerals, Lefoko Moagi, launched the program. Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Peggy Serame, Tertiary

Education, Science, and Technology Minister Dr. Douglas Letsholathebe, and other MMGE officials were there to mark the occasion.

With RTS, Batswana can generate their own electricity and sell any excess to the national grid. USAID’s Southern Africa Energy Program ( SAEP) helped Botswana’s Department of Energy in the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology, and Energy

Security to develop the Rooftop Solar program. SAEP, in support of the Power Africa initiative, is a fiveyear project designed to increase the supply of, and access to, electricity in Southern Africa.

Rooftop Solar will enable domestic consumers to install their own solar systems to generate electricity. Consumers would also be able to sell any excess electricity to the Botswana Power Corporation.