Intended new solar plant to supply electricity to Erongo desalination plant
Orano Mining Namibia this week announced it will source additional solar power for the Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP) under a ten-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with InnoSun Energy Holdings.
The agreement includes the establishment of a 5 MW solar plant at the Trekkopje site just north east of Arandis, from where power will be supplied to the EDP, situated at the coast 35 km north of Swakopmund. Under the agreement, InnoSun Energy Holdings will design, construct and operate the solar plant.
According to a statement, construction will commence in the second half of 2022 and the plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.
“This will enable Orano to make the provision of water to the Erongo Region from a green electricity source more affordable in the long term, and contribute greatly to efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the EDP. Once commissioned, it is expected to reduce energy costs with the desalination process, and lower annual greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, which is equivalent to 9722 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions,” the statement added.
This project is part of the Orano group policy to lower its carbon footprint and increase the share of low-carbon electricity at its operating sites worldwide.
