Botswana is set to begin construction of its first large-scale solar power plant after developers secured $100 million in financing, marking a fresh test of investor appetite for renewable energy projects tied to Southern Africa’s regional electricity market.
Behind the project is a mix of local and private-sector energy investors, led by Etavi Renewables, a Botswana-based renewable energy developer partly owned by Shumba Energy Ltd.
The company will develop the 100-megawatt Tati Solar Project, which is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027.
Rand Merchant Bank, a unit of South Africa’s FirstRand Ltd., acted as lead arranger for the $100 million financing package.
The project will sell electricity into the Southern African Power Pool, a regional market that allows utilities and independent power producers to trade power across borders.
