Tlou Energy is on the brink of launching initial production at its innovative data centre in Botswana, a significant move towards integrating local energy resources with digital infrastructure.
The company, in its quarterly report for the period ending 31 December 2025, announced that the first unit of the Kala data centre has been installed at the Lesedi power project. This facility will utilize coal-bed methane gas from the Lesedi 4 gas well for its operations.
Initial Production Set for Botswana’s Data Centre
The modular data centre employs containerised, high-density computing systems and is designed to operate on-site using gas-fired power. Tlou Energy will supply the gas, while Kala Data FZCO will manage the data centre infrastructure. Recently, two 250kV gas-fired generators were installed at the site, following previous shipping delays.
Construction of the main gas gathering line connecting the Lesedi 4 well to the generators was completed earlier in 2025. Final electrical connections are currently underway, and Tlou anticipates that initial production will commence once these works are finalized.
Botswana: Key figures on Data Centre Production
- 1MW design capacity of the installed unit
- Two 250kV gas-fired generators installed
- Initial 5MW solar project planned, expandable to 20MW
Plans for Hybrid Energy Model at Lesedi
Tlou Energy and Kala are also exploring the integration of solar energy into the Lesedi site to create a hybrid energy model. Kala has expressed interest in installing 1MW of solar photovoltaic capacity soon. Tlou is evaluating the development of an initial 5MW solar project, with potential expansion to 20MW depending on funding and power purchase agreements.
Additionally, Tlou plans to incorporate compressed natural gas storage, allowing for gas produced during the day to be stored for nighttime use. This configuration aims to provide a reliable power supply, differentiating the project from typical standalone solar developments.
Next Steps for Tlou Energy
- Complete final electrical connections for the data centre
- Begin initial production at the data centre
- Assess funding options for scaling gas production and power generation
- Develop the initial 5MW solar project
Tlou Energy is advancing Botswana's energy landscape with its innovative data centre project.
