Tlou Energy has announced plans to construct a data center in Botswana. The move is part of a broader strategy to develop energy solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The data center will be located at the firm’s gas production site in Lesedi. It will be powered by the company’s gas production pods. Tlou’s existing 10MW gas-to-power project will help generate the required electricity, with plans to expand this capacity to 25MW in the near future.
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Project’s aspect
A key aspect of the project is utilizing flared gas, typically a waste product in gas extraction to generate revenue. The development aims to improve energy availability and enhance infrastructure in a country where the data center market is still in its infancy, with only a few local players such as Nashua Nest and Digital Delta providing such services.
The company’s Lesedi project is the largest in its portfolio, and it plans to continue supplying power to Botswana Power Corporation through an existing Power Purchase Agreement, strengthening its position in the region’s energy landscape. The Lesedi gas field in Serowe village is a coalbed methane project that is expected to help close the country’s power deficit.
Botswana’s current installed capacity of 890MW, is dominated by coal resources (99%) and the country is in the process of rebalancing the power mix by involving the private sector in building additional capacity in renewable energy sources. The country has significant natural gas reserves, and is developing gas-to-power projects to help meet its energy needs.
