Hydrogen

Tlou Energy to start producing green hydrogen in Botswana from 2022

Tlou Energy has produced gas for several years in Botswana, though in small quantities and only to supply its generators on site. Photo: Tlou Energy

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While Tlou Energy continues to progress on its gas-to-power project north of Botswana’s capital Gaborone, it is now expecting to produce hydrogen and solid carbon products even before electricity.

The company has been working on developing Botswana’s coal-bed methane (CBM) reserves to generate electricity since its incorporation in 2009. It is notably focusing on the development of the Lesedi project, consisting in a 10 MW gas-to-power plant and a 100km transmission line from Lesedi to Serowe. The power purchase agreement (PPA) was signed with the Botswana Power Corporation just a few weeks ago.

But beyond just monetizing CBM, Tlou Energy has been working on adding solar generation capacity on site to combine large natural gas reserves with solar energy and produce green hydrogen.

To execute this vision, Tlou Energy signed in August 2021 a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Synergen Met, an Australian hydrogen developer and plasma technology company. The project is now moving full steam ahead and the prototype hydrogen production unit is currently being designed, built and tested in Brisbane before its transportation to Botswana in H1 2022, Tlou Energy said today.

The use of plasma technology for hydrogen production will be a first for sub-Saharan Africa and open up additional doors for the continent to decarbonize its energy mix. Along with South Africa, Botswana is a country who continues to predominantly relies on coal to generate power for its industries and households.

“Tlou Energy and Synergen Met intend to use the hydrogen produced from the prototype to generate electricity and possibly for transport fuel, initially in Tlou’s own vehicles. Solid carbon will be made available for regional consumers that require the product,” Tlou revealed today.

Details on the Lesedi CBM Gas-to-Power Project are available in the “Projects” section within your Hawilti+ research terminal.

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