More clean energy connected to national grid – Energy Ministry commissions solar farm in Rosh Pinah
The Ministry of Mines and Energy officially inaugurated the Aloe Investments, 5 megawatt Solar PV Power Plant in Rosh Pinah.
The power plant is one of 14 Renewable Energy Projects under the Interim Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) Programme, which was jointly initiated by the ministry, the Electricity Control Board and NamPower in 2015.
This particular project marks 9 out of the 14 REFIT projects that have since been connected to the national grid.
The projects were created with the intention to reduced electricity imports and attract private investment in the development of renewable energy resources in Namibia.
According to the ministry, the total amount of clean electricity energy which was feed into the grid by these projects was about 93 Giga-Watt hours in 2017
“Energy remains the number one key input for development and thus Government recognizes it in both the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) and the 5th National Development as a priority infrastructure area needed for nation’s socio-economic growth and development. With the HPP action plan we have committed ourselves to increasing the local electricity generating capacity from 400 to 600 MW and the rate of rural electrification from 34% to 50% by 2020,” minister Tom Alweendo said at the event.
Alweendo stressed that it is therefore important to pro-actively plan, structure, manage and develop an energy sector that can optimally support and respond to Namibia’s development aspirations today, and in the future.
“The Ministry of Mines and Energy has finalized both the National Energy Policy and National Renewable Energy Policy. In so doing we hope to have given a clear signal that Government is committed to a sustainable energized future for its people,” Alweendo added.
Talking about the thrive towards vision 2030, Alweendo urged for the continued use of local available resources for the beneficiation of all Namibians.
“In case of energy, Namibia has one of the world’s best solar resource, and a significant amount of biomass and plenty good wind regimes,” he said.
