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Namibia recognizes renewable energy as a solution to climate change

Namibia recognizes renewable energy as a solution to climate change

Namibia recognizes that fossil fuel is no longer the fuel of the future and renewable energy is now the solution to climate change, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo said at the Renewable Energy Business Summit in Dubai, UAE on Saturday.

“We understand and accept that fossil fuel is no longer the fuel of the future and that the world is transitioning to renewable energy. We are, however, also calling for an energy transition that is just and equitable among nations,” he said.

Alweendo said there is a need to guard against an energy transition process that has the potential to adversely affect some without any mitigation.

“It is the case that countries that are highly dependent on fossil fuel for their sociology-economic development, may need a little more time to transition than countries that have already made an inroad into the renewable energy space,” he said.

According to Alweendo, since Namibia has the world’s second-highest solar irradiation regime, high wind power potential and potential for geothermal and bioenergy developments

“The potential for green electricity production in Namibia is many times the country’s domestic electricity consumption,” he said, adding that as a demonstration to our commitment to the transition from fossil fuel energy, renewable energy features prominently in Namibia’s economic recovery plan that was recently launched by HE President Hage G. Geingob.

“As part of the recovery plan, Namibia has a goal to be a green hydrogen hub on the African continent. After a thorough and transparent assessment of all the bids that were received, during the COP26 held recently in Glasgow, President Geingob announced Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) as the successful bidder. We look forward to working together with Hyphen to realize our goal of becoming a green hydrogen hub. Given the size of the available renewable energy resources in the country, it is our intention to explore the idea of seeking other potential investors to collaborate with us,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said, realizing the goal of becoming a green hydrogen hub and addressing the energy security of supply, the task cannot be achieved by the government alone.

“To achieve our goal, we will rely on the private sector investment. We will need investors, both local and international, to invest in our energy sector. It is, therefore, our commitment to the investors that we will do all that is necessary to ensure that your investment in Namibia is protected and secure,” he concluded.


 

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