Organic Energy Solutions (OES), a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List group, has achieved Namibia’s first Sustainable Resources Verification Scheme (Sure) certification for energy production.
Following a three-day audit, OES’s biomass operations were verified to meet the European Union’s renewable energy directive standards, positioning it as one of only a handful of Sure-certified energy companies in Namibia, with others operating in the charcoal industry.
The Sure certification system tracks biomass from sources through the entire supply chain, ensuring complete traceability and transparency.
OES maintains strict record-keeping and reporting processes audited by independent third parties, documenting the origin, volume and species of harvested bush as well as all transportation and processing steps.
OES harvests biomass exclusively from invasive encroacher bush species that threaten Namibia’s biodiversity, water availability and agricultural productivity. This makes the operation an important ecological intervention that restores natural balance to the country’s savanna ecosystems.
OES managing director Gero von der Wense says the certification ensures compliance with strict European Union sustainability standards, allowing OES to access premium export markets and supply sustainability-focused industries.
“Being the only Sure-certified wood-chip biomass company in the country gives us a strong competitive edge in local and international markets,” he says.
Namibia Biomass Industry Group chief executive Progress Kashandula says having a Sure-certificate demonstrates that Namibia’s bioenergy value chain meets international sustainability and traceability standards.
OES is a Namibian company within the Ohlthaver & List group that tackles the nation’s dual challenges of land degradation and sustainable energy. It transforms invasive encroacher bush into organic fertilisers, compost and renewable energy, which restores native grasslands, improves soil health, enhances biodiversity and boosts Namibia’s water security.
