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| | {{CES Country|CES Country Name=Namibia | | {{CES Country|CES Country Name=Namibia |
| | |CES Country Capital=Windhoek | | |CES Country Capital=Windhoek |
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| | |CES Country Coordinates=22.5700° S, 17.0861° E | | |CES Country Coordinates=22.5700° S, 17.0861° E |
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| | = Introduction = | | = Introduction = |
| − | In Namibia, a country with low population density, the challenge is to provide electricity access to the 79% of the rural and sparse population that does not have access by establishing feasible and maintainable off-grid solutions. The Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan 2010 prioritises 2,879 rural localities to be electrified in the next 20 years and identifies 27 localities for off-grid electrification (including via renewables); however, implementation has been limited.<ref name="Ministr y of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan , http://www.mme.gov.na/energy/ pdf/National/REDMP%20National%20Overview%20&%20Methodol- ogy%20-50%20Part%201.pdf .">Ministr y of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan , http://www.mme.gov.na/energy/ pdf/National/REDMP%20National%20Overview%20&%20Methodol- ogy%20-50%20Part%201.pdf . </ref><br/>
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| | + | According to the [[Distributed_Renewables_for_Energy_Access_in_SADC_Countries|REN21-SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Repor]]t (2018), the challenge in Namibia is to provide electricity access to the 79% of the rural and sparse population that does not have access by establishing feasible and maintainable off-grid solutions. The Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan 2010 prioritises 2,879 rural localities to be electrified in the next 20 years and identifies 27 localities for off-grid electrification (including via renewables); however, implementation has been limited.<ref name="Ministr y of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan , http://www.mme.gov.na/energy/ pdf/National/REDMP%20National%20Overview%20&%20Methodol- ogy%20-50%20Part%201.pdf .">Ministr y of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Rural Electricity Distribution Masterplan , http://www.mme.gov.na/energy/ pdf/National/REDMP%20National%20Overview%20&%20Methodol- ogy%20-50%20Part%201.pdf . </ref><br/> |
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| | So far the country has developed several pilot mini-grids, including three off-grid systems: Gobabeb, Tsumkwe Mini Grid and Gam Solar PV Mini Grid. In rural and remote areas where neither the main grid nor mini- grids are available, consumers depend on stand-alone electricity sources, mainly diesel generators. The use of solar technologies has been increasing, and hybrid solar/diesel systems have proved to be technically sound off-grid solutions.<ref name="European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF) and Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Supportive Framework Conditions for Mini-grids Employing Renewable Energy and Hybrid Generation in the SADC Region. Namibia Case Study: Gap Analysis and National Action Plan (Eschborn, Germany: December 2013), http://www.euei-pdf.org/sites/default/files/field_publication_file/SADC_RERA_Case_Studies.zip .">European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF) and Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Supportive Framework Conditions for Mini-grids Employing Renewable Energy and Hybrid Generation in the SADC Region. Namibia Case Study: Gap Analysis and National Action Plan (Eschborn, Germany: December 2013), http://www.euei-pdf.org/sites/default/files/field_publication_file/SADC_RERA_Case_Studies.zip . </ref><br/> | | So far the country has developed several pilot mini-grids, including three off-grid systems: Gobabeb, Tsumkwe Mini Grid and Gam Solar PV Mini Grid. In rural and remote areas where neither the main grid nor mini- grids are available, consumers depend on stand-alone electricity sources, mainly diesel generators. The use of solar technologies has been increasing, and hybrid solar/diesel systems have proved to be technically sound off-grid solutions.<ref name="European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF) and Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Supportive Framework Conditions for Mini-grids Employing Renewable Energy and Hybrid Generation in the SADC Region. Namibia Case Study: Gap Analysis and National Action Plan (Eschborn, Germany: December 2013), http://www.euei-pdf.org/sites/default/files/field_publication_file/SADC_RERA_Case_Studies.zip .">European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF) and Regional Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Supportive Framework Conditions for Mini-grids Employing Renewable Energy and Hybrid Generation in the SADC Region. Namibia Case Study: Gap Analysis and National Action Plan (Eschborn, Germany: December 2013), http://www.euei-pdf.org/sites/default/files/field_publication_file/SADC_RERA_Case_Studies.zip . </ref><br/> |
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| | The Solar Revolving Fund under the Ministry of Mines and Energy continues to subsidise stand-alone solar systems for individual household use: between 2015 and 2017, it financed some 1,600 solar systems (water heaters, pumps and solar home systems).<ref name="Francis Hangome, Government of Namibia, Windhoek, personal communication with REN21 and SACREEE, 28 June 2018.">Francis Hangome, Government of Namibia, Windhoek, personal communication with REN21 and SACREEE, 28 June 2018. </ref> EEP Africa supported a very successful biomass energy project that is harvesting invader bush – which covers substantial areas of northern Namibia – for use in a steam boiler. The project, Combating Bush Encroachment for Namibia’s Development, has installed a 250 kW bush-to electricity gasification pilot power plant on a commercial farm in the heavily bush-infested Otavi area. The plant, which was not yet operational as of mid-2018, is considered as a proof-of-concept project to determine the financial feasibility of this approach, assess the robustness of the technology and establish Namibia’s first IPP.<ref name="Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP), Southern and East Africa, “Success story NAM7097: Invader Bush to Energy”, https://eepafrica.org/about-us/success-stories/success-story-nam7097 ."> Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP), Southern and East Africa, “Success story NAM7097: Invader Bush to Energy”, https://eepafrica.org/about-us/success-stories/success-story-nam7097 . </ref> Non-electricity off-grid renewable energy projects include the small/ micro wind energy installations used for water pumping, which are very common in Namibia, especially on farms. This technology has been used successfully for decades, with about 30,000 wind- driven water pumps installed in the country as of 2005; however, the current trend is to replace these with solar energy sources.<ref name="Danish Ener gy Management & Esbensen, Renewable Energy Market Landscape Study Covering 15 Countries in Southern and East Africa. Volume II. Country Profiles, Stakeholder Maps (August 2017), p 32 [https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/ https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/] Regionen/Volume_II_Market_Landscape_-Study_-EEP-SEA_Country - Profiles_StakeholderMaps-1.pdf">Danish Ener gy Management & Esbensen, Renewable Energy Market Landscape Study Covering 15 Countries in Southern and East Africa. Volume II. Country Profiles, Stakeholder Maps (August 2017), p 32 [https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/ https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/] Regionen/Volume_II_Market_Landscape_-Study_-EEP-SEA_Country - Profiles_StakeholderMaps-1.pdf</ref><br/> | | The Solar Revolving Fund under the Ministry of Mines and Energy continues to subsidise stand-alone solar systems for individual household use: between 2015 and 2017, it financed some 1,600 solar systems (water heaters, pumps and solar home systems).<ref name="Francis Hangome, Government of Namibia, Windhoek, personal communication with REN21 and SACREEE, 28 June 2018.">Francis Hangome, Government of Namibia, Windhoek, personal communication with REN21 and SACREEE, 28 June 2018. </ref> EEP Africa supported a very successful biomass energy project that is harvesting invader bush – which covers substantial areas of northern Namibia – for use in a steam boiler. The project, Combating Bush Encroachment for Namibia’s Development, has installed a 250 kW bush-to electricity gasification pilot power plant on a commercial farm in the heavily bush-infested Otavi area. The plant, which was not yet operational as of mid-2018, is considered as a proof-of-concept project to determine the financial feasibility of this approach, assess the robustness of the technology and establish Namibia’s first IPP.<ref name="Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP), Southern and East Africa, “Success story NAM7097: Invader Bush to Energy”, https://eepafrica.org/about-us/success-stories/success-story-nam7097 ."> Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP), Southern and East Africa, “Success story NAM7097: Invader Bush to Energy”, https://eepafrica.org/about-us/success-stories/success-story-nam7097 . </ref> Non-electricity off-grid renewable energy projects include the small/ micro wind energy installations used for water pumping, which are very common in Namibia, especially on farms. This technology has been used successfully for decades, with about 30,000 wind- driven water pumps installed in the country as of 2005; however, the current trend is to replace these with solar energy sources.<ref name="Danish Ener gy Management & Esbensen, Renewable Energy Market Landscape Study Covering 15 Countries in Southern and East Africa. Volume II. Country Profiles, Stakeholder Maps (August 2017), p 32 [https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/ https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/] Regionen/Volume_II_Market_Landscape_-Study_-EEP-SEA_Country - Profiles_StakeholderMaps-1.pdf">Danish Ener gy Management & Esbensen, Renewable Energy Market Landscape Study Covering 15 Countries in Southern and East Africa. Volume II. Country Profiles, Stakeholder Maps (August 2017), p 32 [https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/ https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/] Regionen/Volume_II_Market_Landscape_-Study_-EEP-SEA_Country - Profiles_StakeholderMaps-1.pdf</ref><br/> |
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| | = Energy Situation = | | = Energy Situation = |
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| | = Institutional Set up in the Energy Sector = | | = Institutional Set up in the Energy Sector = |
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| − | = <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Other Key Actors / Activities of Donors, Implementing Agencies, Civil Society Organisations</span><br/> = | + | = <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)">Other Key Actors / Activities of Donors, Implementing Agencies, Civil Society Organisations</span><br/> = |
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| | = Further Information = | | = Further Information = |
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| | + | *REN21, 2018. SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report (Paris: REN21 Secretariat) [http://www.ren21.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SADC_2018_EN_web.pdf http://www.ren21.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SADC_2018_EN_web.pdf] |
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| | = References = | | = References = |
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| | + | <references /> |
So far the country has developed several pilot mini-grids, including three off-grid systems: Gobabeb, Tsumkwe Mini Grid and Gam Solar PV Mini Grid. In rural and remote areas where neither the main grid nor mini- grids are available, consumers depend on stand-alone electricity sources, mainly diesel generators. The use of solar technologies has been increasing, and hybrid solar/diesel systems have proved to be technically sound off-grid solutions.[2]
The Solar Revolving Fund under the Ministry of Mines and Energy continues to subsidise stand-alone solar systems for individual household use: between 2015 and 2017, it financed some 1,600 solar systems (water heaters, pumps and solar home systems).[3] EEP Africa supported a very successful biomass energy project that is harvesting invader bush – which covers substantial areas of northern Namibia – for use in a steam boiler. The project, Combating Bush Encroachment for Namibia’s Development, has installed a 250 kW bush-to electricity gasification pilot power plant on a commercial farm in the heavily bush-infested Otavi area. The plant, which was not yet operational as of mid-2018, is considered as a proof-of-concept project to determine the financial feasibility of this approach, assess the robustness of the technology and establish Namibia’s first IPP.[4] Non-electricity off-grid renewable energy projects include the small/ micro wind energy installations used for water pumping, which are very common in Namibia, especially on farms. This technology has been used successfully for decades, with about 30,000 wind- driven water pumps installed in the country as of 2005; however, the current trend is to replace these with solar energy sources.[5]
