Sheya Shuushona Conservancy community to have access to modern energy services
The solar plant at the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge was officially handed over to the community, on 27 October by the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta.
The plant was funded under the Creating Climate Change Resilient Livelihoods through Community Based Natural Resource Management in Namibia (CBNRM EDA Project) that is implemented through the Environment Investment Fund of Namibia.
Shifeta said that access to modern energy services is one of the indices for the level of national development, worldwide and in Namibia, there is still quite a significant percentage of the population without access to energy services such as electricity.
“Let alone the use of green energy to curb emissions and it is also worth noting that the increased use of renewable energy such as the solar plant being handed over now, will not only cushion us from the adverse effects of climate change but also act as a catalyst for enhancing social economic development in rural areas,” he added.
He was assured that certain mechanisms have been put in place that will ensure that a revolving fund is established, which will support community projects and livelihood options in this conservancy.
The Sheya Shuushona Conservancy is situated in the Otamazi Constituency and was funded to the tune of N$5,191,468.13 and covers an area of 506, 600 hectares and the project size is 1ha.
The project activities entail the establishment of a solar plant, with a minimum capacity of 150 KW to provide power for the Sheya Shuushona Lodge.
The Environment Investment Fund (EIF) said the project is a manifestation of local-level empowerment and ownership as well as enterprise development through a joint venture through an off-take agreement with Namibia Exclusive Safari.
“The solar plant with a total of 216 panels has to date benefited a total of 3551 people and created 17 jobs have been created during the development of the solar plant and it further trained 10 youth on solar plant operation, maintenance and administration,” added the EIF.
The EIF said the solar plant will empower the conservancy in its contribution to the tourism business and enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.
