• ABSALOM SHIGWEDHA THE Katutura Community Youth Enterprises Centre (Kayec) is saving 40% of its electricity through the use of solar energy, thanks to 27 solar panels donated to the centre by company InnoSun.
InnoSun is a Franco-Namibian company, which has been involved in renewable energy production since 2008. The company has also donated 81 solar panels to Baby Haven, a creche for abandoned children in Katutura.
“The solar energy has really been helpful as now we pay nearly 80% less for our electricity bill,” says Musa Shilla, the creche’s caretaker. She explains that the solar energy is mostly used for water heating.
“This is part of cooperate social responsibility,” says InnoSun director, Usuta Imbili. She says that renewable energy is not only clean but it also contributes to the fight against climate change. InnoSun’s core business is developing wind and solar parks.
The company has also donated 27 solar panels to the Namibia Nature Foundation, 52 to Penduka (a self-help project for women in Katutura), 54 to Tucsin, 54 to the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre, 27 to the Empelheim Community Centre in Mariental, 8 to Edu Ventures Trust, 21 to the World Wildlife Fund, 27 to the Desert Lion Conservation Project, 27 to the NamibRand Nature Reserve and 27 to the Namibian Desert Environmental Education Trust.
Recently, InnoSun inaugurated its 4,5 MW Omburu Solar Power Plant, which is currently connected to Omburu Transmission Sub-Station. Electricity is sold directly to NamPower for the next 25 years.
The plant covers an area of 16 hectares with more than 33 000 panels, inverters and 67 tracker motors.
absalom.shigwedha@gmail.com
