THE Erongo region will soon have an additional solar-power plant which will bring the region’s solar-power generation capacity to 54,5 megawatt (MW).
This follows the groundbreaking for the construction of the 20MW Khan solar-power plant outside Usakos by independent power producer (IPP) Anirep Aussenkehr Solar One Namibia (Aason) yesterday.
Other solar-power plants in the region are Karibib PV Park (5,3MW), the Omburu InnoSun solar-power plant (4,5MW), Omburu NamPower PV Plant (20MW) and the Trekkopje solar-power plant (5MW).
The managing director of Aason, Iyaloo Nangolo, says the construction of the plant is a sign that local generation capacity is improving and will continue to grow.
Namibia relies heavily on its neighbours for a significant portion of its power.
“By focusing on producing our own renewable energy, in time we can become self-reliant regarding our energy needs, with the prospect of eventually exporting power to neighbouring countries as well,” he said.
Nangolo said his company, together with other IPPs, are working on increasing the commercially installed renewable energy generation in the country from the current 150MW to 760MW by 2025.
The addition of Khan’s 20MW solar PV plant along with our other plants at Grootfontein and Otjiwarongo forms a crucial piece in the realisation of the National Integrated Resource Plan,” he said.
The Khan 20MW solar PV plant would have the capacity to power around 18 500 homes, which is equivalent to around three small towns in Namibia.
Aason acquired farm Namibfontein No 91 from Johannes Breytenbach to construct the solar power plant on.
The plant is said to be constructed by Namibians.
NamPower’s managing director, Simson Haulofu, said the Khan solar power plant would contribute towards achieving the country’s energy policy of self-sufficiency targets of 80% in the near future.
The national development plans and the renewable energy policy target the sourcing of 70% of Namibia’s energy from renewable energy sources by 2030.
“One of the many positive aspects of the Khan solar PV is that it would offer the lowest tariff in the country at 49,05 cents per kilowatt hour, therefore contributing towards lowering electricity tariffs,” Haulofu said.
He said NamPower is also developing three other energy-generation projects, the Rosh Pinah wind-power project (40MW), the Otjikoto biomass-power project (40MW) near Tsumeb, and the Anixas II firm-power project (50MW) at Walvis Bay.
An IPP is also developing a 50MW IPP wind-power project near Lüderitz.
He said the Khan solar-power plant project would facilitate investment of approximately N$300 million into the Namibian economy during its development and construction phase.
Email: bottomline@namibian.com.na
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