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Namibia Boosts Renewables to Slash Electricity Imports
Namibia plans to expand its renewable energy capacity by 93 megawatts by 2026 to reduce reliance on electricity imports, which currently account for about 60% of its supply. The country aims to increase the share of renewables in its energy mix from 21% to 70% by 2030. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to lower electricity costs and enhance energy security, as stated by Robert Kahimise, CEO of the Electricity Control Board.The country is implementing a modified single-buyer system, allowing large power users to purchase electricity directly from private producers, thereby attracting investment. Additionally, the Electricity Control Board approved a 3.8% increase in bulk power tariffs effective July 1, supported by a N$283 million ($15.5 million) government subsidy, raising the average tariff to N$2.0611 per kilowatt-hour. How will Namibia's renewable energy expansion impact its electricity import reliance by 2026? Namibia's renewable energy expansion is expected to significantly reduce its reliance on electricity imports by 2026, decreasing the current 60% import dependency. The increase in domestic renewable energy capacity will enhance energy security and reduce vulnerability to external supply disruptions. By expanding renewable energy, Namibia aims to stabilize and potentially lower electricity costs, benefiting consumers and businesses. The shift towards renewables will likely attract foreign and domestic investment, boosting the local economy and creating job opportunities. The modified single-buyer system will encourage competition and efficiency in the energy market, further reducing import reliance. As Namibia increases its renewable energy share, it will contribute to global efforts in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. The government's support through subsidies and tariff adjustments will facilitate the transition and make renewable energy projects more financially viable. By 2026, Namibia's progress in renewable energy could serve as a model for other countries in the region looking to reduce import reliance and enhance energy independence.
May 15, 2025 // Markets & Finance News, Africa, Namibia
Namibia and Botswana mull 20-year, 5 GW solar push
Renewable Energy Agency, has revealed the governments of Botswana and Namibia are planning to develop 5 GW of solar capacity over the next two decades.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Africa, eskom, WEF
African Nation Namibia to Tender 50-130MW CSP Project Next Year
Namibia Power Corporation Ltd (NamPower), the national electric power utility company of the African nation Namibia, is planning to release a tender for a 50MW-130MW concentrated solar power (CSP) with storage space project in 2022. The project is expected to need financial investment of US$ 600mn-US$1bn, with a target appointing date collection for 2025. The strategies were disclosed by NamPower Generation Projects Head Grant Muller at the current SolarPACES online conference. The small African nation of Namibia is claimed to have a few of the most effective solar source worldwide with Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) varying as much as 3214 kWh per square meter annually (3,214 kWh/m2a). Muller stated the project was planned to be developed under a build, own, operate, transfer (BOOT) version under Namibia's new Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act. The picked designer will establish the plant and after that sign a 25-year offtake contract. Namibia presently has an installed ability of 680MW for its 2.5 million people, with 517MW of this originating from renewable energy sources and 122MW from coal-fired generation. Namibia likewise imports electrical power from neighbouring South Africa's coal-heavy grid. Namibia currently intends to minimize dependence on imports and also coal and increase durability in its renewable grid. NamPower is agnostic on the core CSP modern technology, except that it needs to be dry cooled down. Muller is hoping the expected tariff would certainly be below 8 cents/kWh (USD) but this would depend on dimension and storage space and also dispatch times. No subsidies are intended. At the SolarPACES online conference, he kept in mind that ideally, the CSP project should be created to target peak times of need to give the best complementarity to daytime solar PV, and throughout hydropower's completely dry period, which is from April to October, in the Southern hemisphere winter season. So the enhancement of a 2nd dispatchable renewable along with the hydropower, would best round out a renewable grid system. He explained the imagined policy layout as a hybrid between the very successful MASEN design in Morocco, as well as the REIPPP model in South Africa. Like MASEN, the growth is de-risked by NamPower. which has already located a number of sites with excellent solar source and also over a 3 year duration has gauged the DNI using satellite as well as ground measurement information. By therefore reducing growth expenses Muller anticipates to reduce the power price paid by the customer. The next step is to establish the RfP for 2022, he stated.
Dec 23, 2021 // Markets & Finance News, Africa, Namibia, Concentrated solar power, csp, solar projects, Grant Muller, Namibia Power Corporation Ltd, NamPower, SolarPACES
Namibia launches EPC tender for 20 MW solar project
Namibian authorities have launched a tender to choose an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services contractor for the 20 MW Omburu solar project,
Oct 23, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, tender, Africa, Namibia
Cronimet finishes 1 MW rooftop PV array on Namibian mall
has completed a 1.13 MW rooftop PV array on a shopping center in Windhoek, Namibia. The project started generating electricity in the first week of
Oct 16, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Rooftop PV, Germany, Europe, Africa, Namibia, Cronimet Mining Power Solutions
Biden Administration Picks 5 GW Mega Solar Project in Africa
of the Summit. Mega Solar is a collaboration in between the Governments of Namibia as well as Botswana, and also others, which is anticipated to create up to 5
Apr 29, 2021 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Africa, Botswana, Namibia, International, biden, Mega Solar, Mark Carrato, Ambassador Johnson, Power Africa
NamPower Breaks Ground on Namibia’s Largest 100-MW Sores Gaib Solar
Namibia took a decisive step toward energy self-reliance this week as state-owned utility NamPower officially launched construction of the 100-megawatt Sores |Gaib Solar Power Station near Rosh Pinah in the arid ǁKaras Region. Valued at roughly N$1.6 billion (US $88 million), the photovoltaic plant is set to become the country’s biggest solar facility and its first utility-scale project developed entirely by NamPower.  Financing for Sores Gaib—whose name means “Power of the Sun” in Khoekhoegowab—combines a N$1.3 billion concessional loan from Germany’s development bank KfW with equity from NamPower’s balance sheet. The engineering, procurement and construction contract, awarded to a Chinese joint venture, allocates at least 25 % of spending to local suppliers. More than 300 on-site jobs are expected during the 18-month build-out, which targets commercial operation by June 2026.  Occupying about 250 acres of high-irradiance desert just 30 km northwest of the zinc-mining town of Rosh Pinah, the array should produce roughly 270 GWh of electricity a year—enough to cover the typical consumption of 70,000 Namibian households while avoiding an estimated 230,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. All output will feed directly into the national grid, easing Namibia’s heavy reliance on imports from South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which currently supply almost half of its 700-MW peak demand. Managing director Kahenge Haulofu called the groundbreaking “a turning-point for our energy security,” noting that firm domestic generation will help stabilise future tariffs and shield the economy from regional supply shocks. Analysts add that Sores Gaib marks a strategic pivot away from past diesel and coal purchases toward the abundant solar resource that blankets southern Namibia: average annual irradiation tops 2,200 kWh per square metre, among the world’s highest. The project also dovetails with Namibia’s pledge to raise the share of renewables in its generation mix to 70 % by 2030, up from about 40 % today. Success here is expected to unlock further solar and green-hydrogen ventures, positioning the sparsely populated nation as a future clean-power exporter to the region.
Jun 23, 2025 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Solar, KFW, Africa, Namibia, NamPower, Sores Gaib
EUR 500m Fund Launched to Power Europe's Battery Revolution
material supply from EU Raw Material Partnership countries, including Canada, Namibia, and Argentina. The launch of the fund took place during the 54th Annual
Jan 19, 2024 // Markets & Finance News, Europe, eit innoenergy, Demeter Investment Managers
United States and also China readied to include virtually 600GW of capacity this decade however risks to release exist, states report
Solutions' latest Solar Power Investment Hotspots report, which also names Namibia as the "solar power market to view this quarter" as anticipated capacity is
Dec 8, 2021 // Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, USA, China, Asia, North America, section 201, trade tariffs, biden, trade dispute, WRO, solar forecasts
Globeleq Acquires 75% of Mozambique Solar Plant
1 GW of solar power plants across other African nations, including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Mozambique The development of a 200 megawatt (MW) of solar
Jul 18, 2023 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Africa, Mozambique, PV Power Plant, Globeleq
Renewable generation to remain below 10% in Africa by 2030
2022, to deal with the nation's continuous power dilemma. In other places Namibia is targeting 70% of its power from renewables by 2030, as specified in the
Jan 12, 2021 // Plants, Markets & Finance News, Africa, South Africa, Namibia, renewables, University of Oxford, solar power generation, Philipp Trotter
Canadian Solar taking module capacity to over 12GW in 2019
including 134MWp in the U.S., 68MWp in Mexico, 20MWp in China and 6MWp in Namibia.   The SMSL’s global late-stage, utility-scale solar power
Aug 16, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, Canada, Canadian Solar, PV plants, pv modules, c-si manufacturing, North America
Uruguay offers green hydrogen plan
checklist of globe's top hydrogen merchants, beside Chile, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Namibia and Australia, according to the draft guidebook. The paper will be open to
Jun 16, 2022 // Solar to Fuel, South america, Uruguay, green hydrogen
Sterling And Wilson Renewable In MoU For 961MWp Solar Plants In Nigeria
solar installment in Egypt, 175.5 MWp in Morocco, and projects in Zambia, Namibia, Kenya and Niger. The firm likewise recently appointed a Hybrid & Energy
Sep 23, 2022 // Markets & Finance News, MoU, amit jain, Sun Africa, sterling and wilson renewable energy, Nigeria solar projects, SWRE, SWSS
Oxford University Study Predicts 10% Renewable Share in Africa By 2030
40% of Africa's total anticipated new solar ability by 2030. In a similar way Namibia is targeting 70% of its electrical power from renewables by 2030, as specified
Jan 19, 2021 // Markets & Finance News, China, Oxford University, Asia, Africa, ditributed solar, galina alova, Nature enery