from ALFRED SHILONGO in Windhoek, Namibia
Namibia Bureau
WINDHOEK, (CAJ News) – NAMIBIA is reaping results from her good relationship with China following the successful Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit recently held in Beijing.
The FOCAC synergies hinge upon a win-win cooperation that has seen Namibia’s state-owned power utility NamPower clinch a deal with two Chinese renewage energy companies China Jiangxi International Economic and Chint New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd, who will install one of the largest solar energy projects in the southern African nation.
According to NamPower Managing Director, Kahenge Haulofu, German Development Dank, KfW, would N$1.4 billion (representing 80% of the project) while NamPower will contribute the other balance to ensure 100 megawatts of clean solar energy was added to the national grid.
Before the latest renewable energy deal, despite Namibia boasting of too much sun exposure owing to desertification, the Windhoek relied heavily on electricity import from fellow Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts comprising South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The China Jiangxi International Economic and Chint New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd’s new solar plant will tackle the country’s perennial energy scarcity while ensuring prices of power consumption come down.
The new solar plant is expected to take 18 months before completion while commercial operations are anticipated to commence in 2026.
– CAJ News