The World Bank has approved funding for Botswana's first grid-side battery energy storage system (BESS), which will have an output of 50MW and a storage capacity of 200MWh. The project, which will cost $122 million, including a contribution from the Green Climate Fund, aims to support Botswana's energy transition by strengthening grid flexibility and promoting the integration of renewable energy.

   The energy storage plants will be located at three sites in Selebipik, Madaniel and Juangen, where the country's first large-scale solar PV plants (100MW each) are planned to be built. Their operational dates are set for 2025 and 2026,respectively.

   The plan is in line with Botswana's goal of installing 1GW of wind and solar PV capacity by 2030, requiring 140MW of BESS to support the grid connection. A feasibility study is currently underway to determine the best BESS installation sites.