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| − | According to the [[Distributed Renewables for Energy Access in SADC Countries|REN21-SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report]] (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="Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Implementation of the Off-Grid Energisation Master Plan (OGEMP) http://www.mme.gov.na/files/publications/541_off-grid-masterplan.pdf">Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Implementation of the Off-Grid Energisation Master Plan (OGEMP) http://www.mme.gov.na/files/publications/541_off-grid-masterplan.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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| | + | == Overview of the Country's Energy Sources == |
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| | + | Namibia's top energy sources are petroleum, hydropower, imported electricity, and imported coal<ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf</ref>. The country's own internal resources supply less than one-third of its needed energy requirements<ref name="Von Oertzen, D. (2010). Namibian National Issues Report on the Key Sector of Energy with a Focus on Mitigation. Retrieved from: https://www.undpcc.org/docs/National%20issues%20papers/Energy%20(mitigation)/15_Namibia%20NIP_energy%20mitigation.pdf">Von Oertzen, D. (2010). Namibian National Issues Report on the Key Sector of Energy with a Focus on Mitigation. Retrieved from: https://www.undpcc.org/docs/National%20issues%20papers/Energy%20(mitigation)/15_Namibia%20NIP_energy%20mitigation.pdf</ref>. |
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| | + | Namibia has high potential for solar, wind and biomass generation<ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf</ref>. Invade bush is widely spread in the country's northern parts, which allows a large scale bioenergy-based production capacity<ref name="Lund, H.G. & Mabirizi, F. (2017). Atlas of Africa Energy Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf">Lund, H.G. & Mabirizi, F. (2017). Atlas of Africa Energy Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf</ref><ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf</ref>. |
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| | + | [[File:Invader bush protected area in Namibia.jpg|thumb|center|500px|Invader bush protected area in Namibia]] |
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| | + | The country is also on the top 10 listed countries, which are in possession of uranium resources worldwide, and it solely supplies about 8.2% of the global uranium production<ref name="Lund, H.G. & Mabirizi, F. (2017). Atlas of Africa Energy Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf">Lund, H.G. & Mabirizi, F. (2017). Atlas of Africa Energy Resources. Retrieved from: https://www.icafrica.org/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Africa_Energy_Atlas.pdf</ref>. |
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| | + | Namibia's generated electricity comes mainly from <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">a 240 MW hydroelectric power plant, a 120 MW coal-powered plant, and a 24 MW heavy fuel-oil powered plant<ref name="Von Oertzen, D. (2010). Namibian National Issues Report on the Key Sector of Energy with a Focus on Mitigation. Retrieved from: https://www.undpcc.org/docs/National%20issues%20papers/Energy%20(mitigation)/15_Namibia%20NIP_energy%20mitigation.pdf">Von Oertzen, D. (2010). Namibian National Issues Report on the Key Sector of Energy with a Focus on Mitigation. Retrieved from: https://www.undpcc.org/docs/National%20issues%20papers/Energy%20(mitigation)/15_Namibia%20NIP_energy%20mitigation.pdf</ref>.</span> |
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| | + | == Energy Access == |
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| | + | <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to the </span>[[Distributed Renewables for Energy Access in SADC Countries|REN21-SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Status Report]]<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (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.</span><ref name="Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Implementation of the Off-Grid Energisation Master Plan (OGEMP) http://www.mme.gov.na/files/publications/541_off-grid-masterplan.pdf">Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Government of Namibia, Implementation of the Off-Grid Energisation Master Plan (OGEMP) http://www.mme.gov.na/files/publications/541_off-grid-masterplan.pdf</ref><br/> |
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| | + | == Production == |
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| | + | == Installed Capacity == |
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| | + | == Consumption == |
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| | + | Namibia's average consumption rate surpasses 3000 GWh/year, while its generation capacity is around 1305 GWh/year<ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf</ref>. Therefore, there is a supply gap, which is covered by importing power from South-Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique<ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf </ref>. |
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| | + | <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Most of the final consumed energy goes to the country's transport sector<ref name="Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf">Munyayi, R. Chiguvare, Z. & Ileka, H. (2015). Fact Sheet on: Renewable Energy – Shifting Energy Systems in Namibia towards a More Sustainable Path. Retrieved from: https://www.thinknamibia.org.na/files/learn-and-engage/jtBTlZQO-YnHdSkT.pdf</ref>.</span><br/> |
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| | + | == Import and Export == |
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| | + | == Electricity == |
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| | + | == Energy Security == |
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| | = Renewable Energy = | | = Renewable Energy = |
Namibia lies in the southern part of the African continent. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola to the north, Zambia to the north-east, Botswana to the east, and South-Africa to both south-east & south.
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.[1]
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).[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]
Namibia's top energy sources are petroleum, hydropower, imported electricity, and imported coal[5]. The country's own internal resources supply less than one-third of its needed energy requirements[6].
The country is also on the top 10 listed countries, which are in possession of uranium resources worldwide, and it solely supplies about 8.2% of the global uranium production[7].
Namibia's average consumption rate surpasses 3000 GWh/year, while its generation capacity is around 1305 GWh/year[5]. Therefore, there is a supply gap, which is covered by importing power from South-Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique[5].
