City signs solar energy plant agreement

The City of Windhoek signed an agreement with Invest Africa Energy Services late last week to set up a unique 250 mega watt renewable solar energy power plant through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) engagement.
The plant, which will be set up in Windhoek, is expected to be operational by 2013 and will help augment the City’s electrical need. The envisaged plant is a brain child of a Namibian-based US citizen, Dr Alfred Gerald Young, who is the majority shareholder of Invest Africa Energy Services.
In addition to electricity provision to the City, the solar plant will further be accompanied by an industrial factory that will develop, design and manufacture electrical supply systems and appliances for African consumers on and off the national grid.
The agreement is a fruit and testimony to the City’s commitment in creating a conducive investment climate for social-economic development. It is envisaged that the factory facility will train and employ 3500 local workers who will attend special training courses in collaboration with the Polytechnic of Namibia.
Internationally, Invest Africa Energy Services has already established partnership agreements with power utilities including United States engineering firms who obtain US government financial support.