GREEN trains electrical engineers and electrical technicians from Jwaneng 100MW Solar Project

Preparing the people behind one of Botswana’s largest solar projects

Last year, GREEN trained a group of electrical engineers and electrical technicians from Botswana’s Jwaneng Mine to prepare them to manage and maintain solar assets being rolled out at site.

That training came at a pivotal moment. Botswana is scaling up utility-scale solar, and Jwaneng is at the centre of that shift.

One of Botswana’s largest solar PV plants

The Jwaneng Solar Power Station is a 100 MW utility-scale solar PV project, placing it firmly among the largest solar plants in Botswana. Developed by Sinotswana Green Energy and contracted under a long-term power purchase agreement with Botswana Power Corporation, the project marks a significant step in Botswana’s transition toward cleaner power.

At this scale, solar is no longer just about installation.

Image Source: Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua

Long-term performance depends on competent system operation, maintenance, and safety-driven decision-making – and that responsibility ultimately sits with people on the ground.

That’s where training becomes infrastructure.

Training for standards, confidence, and finance

Jwaneng Mine is rolling out renewable energy systems and wants its own technical teams ready to operate and maintain those assets in-house. The group who attended GREEN’s 5-day SuperSolarSchool in Gaborone were all qualified electrical engineers and technicians – experienced professionals who needed solar-specific context, not generic introductions.

As GREEN Solar Academy Botswana Director Moses Dube explains, the motivation goes beyond technical skills alone: “Banks and insurers value recognised frameworks, like the PV GreenCard Programme that shaped GREEN’s solar training in the first instance. To finance and insure solar assets, they want confidence that systems are designed, installed, and maintained to an accepted standard. That’s why these benchmarks matter.”

Adapting training to Botswana – and why PV GreenCard stayed

At GREEN, no two countries receive identical training. Course content is always adapted to reflect local PV markets, the standards in force, and the role of national industry bodies.

In Botswana, IEC standards are the primary technical reference, and the course reflected that. However, one element remained deliberately in place: the modules on the PV GreenCard, even though it originates in South Africa.

The reason is practical.

The PV GreenCard is not taught as a “South African rulebook”, but as a structured quality framework – one that links design, installation, documentation, and responsibility in a way that banks, insurers, and asset owners understand.

GREEN Trainer Junior le Grange, who presented alongside Moses, puts it this way: “Botswana applies IEC standards, while South Africa uses SANS standards that are closely aligned with IEC. PV GreenCard builds on those foundations and gives teams something tangible to reference. As markets mature, these frameworks help professionalise the industry.”

From theory to confidence

Participant feedback reflected exactly why this approach works.

One engineer highlighted the value of hands-on learning: “The practical work made a big difference. I was surprised how straightforward rooftop installations become once you understand the right methods.”

Another spoke about system design and performance: “The detail around system sizing, real-world conditions, and design tools will help us be far more effective – technically and professionally.”

A third summed it up simply: “I’ve learned a lot. I will always recommend this training.”

Megawatts need people

As Botswana brings more large solar projects online, success will depend on more than capacity figures. Reliability, safety, and long-term performance all rest on skilled teams who understand both the technology and the responsibility that comes with it.

Training the people who will operate and maintain one of Botswana’s largest solar plants is not a side story to the energy transition – it is the transition.

And this first SuperSolarSchool for Botswana is just the beginning.

Need to upskill your team?

Utility-scale solar changes what “good training” looks like. It’s no longer just about installation but about performance, safety, and confidence over time.

If you’re looking to upskill your technical teams in Gaborone, get in touch with Moses Dube and the GREEN Solar Academy Botswana team to explore solar training tailored to your operating environment.

Visit solar-training.org/Botswana or contact them on botswana@solar-training.org or +267 (0) 71 636 164