Tlou Energy and Synergen Met progress with Lesedi Power Project in Botswana

Tlou Energy Limited and Synergen Met are combining natural gas reserves with solar energy to make green hydrogen under the Lesedi Power project in Botswana.

The project would provide a complementary range of cleaner and greener power generation options. Tlou focuses on delivering secure, sustainable, and clean power solutions to Botswana and sub-Saharan Africa. It has secured a 10 MW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Botswana Power Corporation to decarbonise its power. The construction of transmission lines to connect Lesedi to the existing power grid is expected to be completed in 2023.

Australi’s Synergen Met Pty Ltd is Tlou hydrogen technology partner specialising in plasma torch and pyrolysis technology. It has completed the preliminary engineering for its hydrogen-carbon production process. The prototype hydrogen production unit is being designed, built and tested in Brisbane, Australia, prior to transportation to Lesedi in the first half of 2022, when production trials will commence.

Kemplant, an engineering company, has been engaged to assist with prototype engineering to allow detailed design and fabrication with the testing of the plasma torch to determine the optimum parameters for the production of hydrogen and solid carbon.

The plasma torch will be tested and configured to optimise hydrogen and solid carbon production. The successful production of hydrogen and solid carbon products could allow the Company to achieve early-stage revenue ahead of gas-to-power revenue under the 10 MW PPA.

Once the prototype arrives at Lesedi, it will utilise Tlou’s existing gas flows to produce hydrogen and solid carbon by-products.  Net Zero CO2 emissions potential will be achieved following the planned addition of Solar PV energy.

Tlou and Synergen aim to use the hydrogen produced from the prototype to generate electricity and potentially use it in Tlou vehicles. Solid carbon will be sold to regional consumers.