Windhoek secures N$4.35m grant for solar centre
The City of Windhoek will also receive N$30 million from the energy ministry, double last year's allocation, for household electrification initiatives.
The City of Windhoek announced last week that it will receive a grant of €212,750 (approximately N$4.35 million) from Engagement Global GmbH to establish the Windhoek Solar Centre.The announcement coincided with the signing of service level agreements (SLAs) between the Ministry of Mines and Energy and regional electricity distributors, with the City of Windhoek receiving N$30 million to fund electricity projects.
The SLAs form part of the ministry's broader commitment to ensuring oversight, support and strategic leadership in pursuit of national electrification goals.
The funding for the solar centre from Engagement Global GmbH will be provided through the Nakopa – Sustainable Community Development through Partnership Projects programme.
According to the City, the solar centre initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the City of Berlin and modelled on the successful Berlin Solar Centre.
Once established, the Windhoek Solar Centre will operate as an independent information and knowledge hub, aimed at promoting and adopting solar energy technologies throughout Windhoek.
Solar benefits
The centre will offer product-neutral, impartial consultations, as well as training sessions and awareness-raising activities designed to suit the needs and interests of residents.
Special attention will be given to ensuring accessibility for individuals and communities in informal settlements.
"This initiative will empower our communities with the knowledge and tools to embrace renewable energy," the municipality explained in a statement. "By supporting informed decision-making, the centre will help drive the adoption of clean, sustainable energy solutions across the capital."
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy's executive director, Ben Nangombe, under last year's SLA with regional electricity distributors, Windhoek received N$16 million for electrification initiatives and successfully connected around 800 Windhoek households.
With this year's allocation nearly doubled, he anticipates a significant increase in household connections.
"Today, we are talking about an amount of N$30 million, and we are, of course, going to see more and more households in the urban areas of Windhoek being connected to electricity," he remarked.
Although the affordability of electricity has recently become a key concern – particularly in Windhoek, where the City has proposed a 3% tariff increase to the Electricity Control Board (ECB), which would result in consumers receiving only 38 units of electricity for N$100 – some believe the focus is misplaced.
"The ministry is not prioritising what's important. Why are they rushing to electrify homes when most people can barely afford electricity? They should first focus on making it affordable for our people," a concerned member of the public said last week.
Cost-reflective tariffs
Nangombe explained that under the current administration, the ministry has a clear mandate to increase access to electricity from the current 59.4% to at least 70% over the next five years.
"We are talking about connecting no fewer than 200,000 households to electricity by 2030 in peri-urban, urban and rural areas across our country," he said.
Regarding affordability, Nangombe noted that electricity tariffs in Namibia are cost-reflective, based on the cost of generating electricity.
He emphasised that the bulk of the country's electricity is imported, making prices vulnerable to external factors.
However, he reassured the public that efforts are underway to reduce costs.
"If we are able to increase our generation capacity and improve our transmission lines, this will, in the long run, place us in a position where electricity prices could decrease," he explained.
Through the service level agreement, N$30 million will be allocated to the City of Windhoek, N$20 million to Cenored, and an additional N$16 million to complete upgrades to the Tsumkwe hybrid solar systems. Erongo RED receives N$20 million, while Nored was allocated N$30 million.