- Solar plant biggest privately owned in Botswana
- Lodge leads eco-tourism in green energy
- Plant has 1400 solar panels
- Produces 400 KW of solar energy
- has capacity to power electric game viewer vehicles in future
Xigera Safari Lodge, situated in the western boundary of the world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta prides itself in various sustainability initiatives, among them its flagship eco-friendly and state of the art energy centre which houses the biggest privately owned solar plant in Botswana. All these are geared towards a minimal or zero environmental impact on the ecologically sensitive Okavango Delta.
Established on the philosophy sustainability, this luxurious property has become the beacon of eco – friendly operation in tourism: and this state-of-the-art energy centre has the capacity to supply 92% of its daily energy requirements.
The solar plant has a total of 1440 solar panels which delivers a solar array equivalent of 400kw, with 5 Tesla batteries, each able to store 285kw of energy equalling a load of 1.19MWh.
Going green in energy generation has saved the operation an estimated 175 000 litres of diesel a year which translates to approximately 191 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions into environment annually.
Xigera Safari Lodge Technical Manager Langton Mudzerema highlights that further to the solar energy, the energy centre has two 350kVA generators for backup and emergency purposes.
“They alternate on a monthly basis with one coming on each evening for 60 minutes or so to top the batteries up till the sun takes over next morning or if it has been an overcast day which are few in the Okavango Delta.”
Mudzerema, indicated that the solar energy generated from the solar plant powers the entire lodge, a massive operation that includes the 12 luxury suites, the state-of-the-art kitchen, all the cooling and chilling needs, the staff village and canteen, workshop, water purification plants and sewerage treatment plant among others.
Hot water is provided via thermodynamic geysers, while Solar view tinted glass ensures temperature stability indoors for energy-efficient air conditioning.
Green energy, provides an alternative for the fossil fuel generator power that originally was used by tourism facilities in the Okavango Delta which proved to be impacting the environment negatively, and was also unclean and unsustainable.
Most operators in the tourism industry are currently gravitating towards renewable energy, by investing in solar technologies to attain sustainability, while also enhancing the experience of their guests in a much cleaner environment.
At a time when government has taken a deliberate effort to modernise the power sector, with a shift towards a solar dominated energy industry, eco-tourism sector has set the bar high, and ahead in this transformation.
In his Environment and Tourism Column this week elsewhere in this edition, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa from the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute (ORI) underscores that the Okavango Delta stands to gain immensely from the deliberate integration of solar power in tourism.
“The advent of solar energy in the Okavango is a significant advantage, as it helps mitigate the environmental impact of tourism. Traditionally, energy used in remote areas of the Delta has often been sourced from fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and local pollution,” Mbaiwa writes.
Mbaiwa has highlighted the benefits of a shift from fossil fuels, “by shifting to solar power, tourism operators can reduce their carbon footprint, helping to preserve the delicate ecosystem and wildlife habitats that draw tourists in the first place. Solar energy provides a clean and sustainable power source that does not disrupt the natural environment. In an area where conservation is paramount, solar power offers a way for tourism operators to meet energy needs without contributing to the degradation of the ecosystem. This can enhance Botswana’s appeal as a destination that takes sustainability seriously, thus attracting environmentally-conscious tourists.”
Meanwhile there are calls for those industry players that have been left behind in the paradigm shift of integrating solar in their eco-tourism operations, to start investing in renewable energy technology and save environment.
