- solar energy reduces carbon footprint, improves operational efficiency
Eco tourism operator, Chobe Holdings Limited has made significant investment in harnessing solar power over the years to ensure a reduction of its carbon footprint in the fragile environment it operates. This investment has also come with benefits for the group in the form of operational efficiency through reduced costs.
Chobe Holding operates various Safari camps and lodges under its different subsidiaries in some of the most sensitive areas and has become one of the leading industry players that has taken the responsibility of ensuring environmental sustainability through practices that ensure the conservation of the natural resources and biodiversity from where the industry thrives.
In the previous section of Conservation Voices – the focus was on how Dinaka – a safari camp operated by Ker and Downey Botswana, a subsidiary of Chobe Holdings in the Kalahari has made strides towards environmental sustainability following the completion of its solar plant and subsequent connection to solar energy. This renewable energy adoption replaced the convention fossil fuel generated power.
And by connecting to solar power, Dinaka made Ker and Downey Botswana an all solar powered operation in all its five safari camps in the Okavango Delta and Kalahari.
Fast forward, the focus in this edition is on one of the biggest solar plants in the tourism industry, and in the Okavango Delta. This mega solar plant, and owned by Chobe Holdings limited powers its three cluster camps of Moremi, Xakanaxa and Okuti inside Moremi Game Reserve.
The group leveraged on the proximity of the camps – though operated by its two subsidiaries, Desert and Delta Safaris (Camps, Moremi and Xakanaxa) and Ker and Downey (Okuti), to build a mega solar plant with capacity to power the three.
Chobe Holding Limited’s group environmental manager Segametsi Monnamorwa told this publication’ Conservation Voices that the company has for years displayed its commitment and dedication to make a difference in areas it operates thereby ensuring reduced carbon footprint and conserve the environment.
One area that the company has put in major investment, according to Monnamorwa is the solar technology, aimed at reducing the negative impact associated with the operation of isolated lodges and camps in the isolated protected and pristine areas.
“Transporting large volumes of fuel in a fragile environment like the Okavango Delta has long and cumulative impacts over time. The storage on site of bulk fuel also has its own risks to the environment and the users. There is also the damage caused to the environment as trucks frequent the roads, and the emissions on the environment by the same vehicles transporting fuel,” she highlighted.
The pollution does not start with burning diesel inside the generator, but rather a litany of activities and actions leading to power production in camp using fossil fuels – and through the implementation of solar technologies, Chobe Holdings aimed to reduce this.
To date the company’s massive investment in solar energy by ensuring its camps retrofitting with solar power has been an incredible achievement, Monnamorwa says.
The idea to have one mega solar plant for the three camps of Moremi, Xakanaxa and Okuti was to minimise the impact on the environment.
“Since the camps are in close proximity to each other, it made sense to consolidate operational footprint into one area.”
The solar plant itself is massive with 608 solar panels, harnessing the sun or solar energy. The plant has five lithium batteries which have a storage capacity of 1150 Kwh, an inverter capacity of 300KW – and the solar capacity of the plant is 331.56 kwp. This makes the mega plant, completed and commissioned in 2023, one of the biggest in the Okavango Delta in terms of investment and capacity.
The Moremi, Xakanaxa and Okuti cluster plant has cost Chobe Holdings a total cost of more than P11.5 million in investment, Monnamorwa has revealed, more than any other single camp solar installation.
“As one of the largest solar installations in the Okavango Delta, the three clustered lodges in the Moremi Game Reserve reduced generator diesel consumption by 125,139 litres when compared to the previous reporting period for the financial year 2023. This equates to saving up to 20 trucks in that year. The reduction in generator diesel usage equates to just over 300 tons of operational carbon emission reduced as at February 2024,” Monnamorwa puts more emphasis on the relieve on carbon emission damage on the environment.
Further to the solar installation supplying the three camps with solar power, the group further invested on 51 energy efficient solar geysers to produce hot water at these clustered lodges to ensure operational efficiency.
The group boasts of 150 solar geysers, producing up to 25,000 litres of hot water for both guests and staff at its camps and lodges which do not only use renewable energy sources but are insulated to achieve excellent energy efficiencies, which accounts for 70% power consumption reduction, the group environmental manager revealed.
Going back, tracking Chobe Holdings’s journey in using renewable energy sources, one of its lodges, Chobe Game Lodge pioneered with e-mobility in safari back in 2017, by adopting electric vehicles and boats in starting out with 5 boats and 4 electric vehicles.
Since solar inception and up to February 2024, Chobe Holdings Limited has spent a total of P33.5 million on solar technologies (solar plants, including e-mobility) at Chobe Game Lodge alone. According to Monnamorwa, to date Chobe Holdings Limited continues to adopt improved systems to minimise fossil fuel usage.
“Chobe Game Lodge has recently improved boating systems to an amount of P4,151,701 compared to P3,774,376,10 at the end of the Financial Year February 2024. So, CGL has during the current financial year 2025, spent close to P377,324 to improve its e-mobility portfolio.
To complete the power migration from fossil fuel powered generators to power, one of Chobe Holding’s camps, which has been on the conventional energy sources, Xugana Island Lodge is undergoing a complete rebuild, and this will include retrofitting solar power technologies. Monnamorwa said, further highlighting that the lodge will be fully solar powered when it reopens in 2025.
Meanwhile the three General Managers of the three cluster camps of Moremi, Xakanaxa and Okuti shared their operational experiences following the completion of the mega solar plant and transitioning to solar power.
Camp Moremi
General Manager Poloko Lecha has said that Camp Moremi started using Solar energy in May 2023 following the completion of the project which took about two months. She said this has added a unique blend of sustainability and luxury as now the camp has electricity throughout, compared to the era of the diesel generator where it had to be switched off to save fuel.
“This eco-friendly solution did not only reduce the carbon footprint in Camp Moremi area but also helped provide a serene and uninterrupted wildlife experience. Solar energy helped eliminate the need for diesel generator in our camp significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. Also the absence of noise from generators allows for a more authentic and immersive wildlife experience, enhancing the overall safari experience,” Lecha further highlighted
The use of solar energy has aided Camp Moremi to demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability, attracting eco-conscious travelers who seek a luxurious yet sustainable safari experience, she revealed.
Poloko reiterated that since the use of solar, the frequency of fuel trucks delivering diesel has been drastically. This as the only fuel needed in camp is that for the backup generator and vehicles which is hardly in use.
“Previously they used to refill almost every month to deliver about 6000 litres of diesel, but now they only bring in fuel after about 3-4 months,” she stated.
Poloko shared that with the demand for sustainable tourism growing, these eco-friendly initiatives do not only benefit the environment but also enhance the overall safari experience for guests seeking a responsible and authentic adventure.
“We are grateful for the solar energy initiative. Personally I think the company has made the best decision ever in choosing solar power.”
Camp Xakanaxa
Camp General Manager Ditsaro Andreck witnessed the transition from diesel powered electricity in this camp to solar energy, and has spelt out the positive impacts of the migration.
Andy said solar energy has since May 2023, when the Camp transitioned proved to have very low operational costs.
“Back in the day when we were using the generator to power the camp, there were a lot of costs involved in the day to day running of the operation,” he said.
The impact on the environment, he says was a concern as it was visible to all that air pollution (emissions) from the diesel powered generator was a serious threat to the area’s biodiversity.
The camp has as would be expected, realised a reduction in operational costs associated with providing power to the entire camp. The only diesel costs they incur, albeit at a very low quantity has to do with diesel for vehicles and the back-up generator.
Another positive outcome from solar energy has been the reduction in noise pollution, ensuring a truly memorable safari experience and happy guests.
“Currently the camp is on clean solar electricity 24 hours, which powers the kitchen, freezers, the rooms, lighting the whole camp and the staff village,” he said.
Since May last year, Andy states that he has not experienced any power related challenges in camp, and this has been a relief, allowing the entire team time to give the guests all the attention for that safari experience and hospitality they ought to get
Camp Okuti
Galani Makhumalo, General Manager also painted a gloomy picture of the generator power era, with a litany of problems from extended hours of running the diesel guzzling generator equipment. This was further made worse by the regular serving of the generator, which also ate away on the staff time, while limiting the flow of power for guests’ hospitality.
“Back in the day we used to run the generator for 120 hours in a week, and the generator’s specifications were such that it had to be serviced after every 100 hours. This effectively meant we had to service every week,” he emphasised the attention the generator needed every week.
Like the other managers at Moremi and Xakanaxa, Galani indicated that the impact of the diesel powered generator on the environment was regrettable, as it spewed carbon emissions for 120 hours a week. For an eco-tourism operation in the Okavango Delta, Galani feels there was too much attention on the environmentally unfriendly power supply, which also came with high maintenance costs.
“The transition to solar has brought a great relief to the operation. It’s a sustainable energy with less disadvantages. This has been a worthy investment for the Camp which has tangible results,” he said.
The main uses of power in the camp include cold rooms, freezers, guest rooms, walkway lights at night, main area lights, and the staff village electricity needs.
