By:Nghiinomenwa-vali Erastus
According to the Namibia Energy Institute (NEI), if the country’s private households switch to solar-powered heaters or thermal solar panels, the country can reduce its 65% energy import dependence.
This is because 80% of the country’s energy is distributed to private households and about half of it is for hot water preparation (40% of total production).
Only 20% goes to the economy and industry, the institute’s Acting Director Helvi Ileka, has revealed during a presentation at Decarbonising Namibia Conference last week.
Ileka explained that the effort is to separate heat from electricity consumption since heat can easily be stored in tanks.
If the country or households manage to store heat, it will save up to 300MW of electricity consumption- if all households have a well-insulated tank.
Ileka added that if all households reduced their 40% of hot water preparation by using the local solar water heater which can be done through photovolPV to heat or solar water heater the country would reduce its energy imports.
Thus, the country’s local generation could be sufficient to a large extent depending on Ruacana River flow, reducing Namibia’s 65%-70% electricity imports.
Furthermore, more power will be available for industrialisation aspirations and intensive agriculture.
NEI believes that the use of energy efficiency equipment may lower energy costs, protect consumers, reduce stress on electricity supply grids, and protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions;
She said the proposal is sustainable as hot water is distributed via solar during the day and water tanks are used for day/night storage when solar energy isnot available.
Ileka said there are bankable documents for Solar Thermal Roadmap and an implementation plan is being developed with Namibia being assisted by Africa Development Bank for on-bill financing.
The plan is to start with the City of Windhoek and other electricity distributors as implementing agencies.
So far the NEI has funded and assisted in the installation of pumps and thermosyphon systems at Lady Pohamba Hospital’s North Block and the Cardiac Wing, as well as at the Katutura Hospital Maternity Ward.
Ileka also indicated that the plants are monitored and thus the energy yields and temperatures are recorded and documented.
Furthermore, the NEI provides capacity building – through the provision of expertise and skills for training and development/implementation of renewable heating and cooling projects.
The NEI has also done some work on the refrigeration and cooling sector, by assisting the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) on the National framework.
The framework is aimed at leapfrogging to Energy Efficient Appliances and Equipment in Namibia (Refrigerators and Distribution Transformers) through the Market Assessment Report on Residential Refrigerators and Distribution Transformers
According to the institute, assessment done for the middle income, indicates a low uptake of energy efficiency refrigerators due to high cost since there are no manufacturing companies in Namibia, will all being imported from South Africa.
Ileka has also updated that some work has been done to harmonise regional Minimum Energy Performance Standards for refrigerators to be adopted, the votes submitted through Namibia Standard Institution (NSI), and waiting for a response from SADCSTAN.
Currently, there is no National Energy Efficiency Policy for Namibia, thus hindering the implementation of energy efficiency in many institutions, Ileka noted.
She indicated that various projects that they are implementing such as SOLTRAIN Plus will be able to assist institutions in the management of their energy consumption through energy audits.
Furthermore, global trends in the price decline of solar PV and wind technologies with energy transition underway have accelerated the uptake of renewable energy in various industries contributing to the reduction of the GHGs.
The Skills for Energy in Southern Africa has indicated that electricity demand far exceeds supply, which seriously obstructs social and economic development, aggravating the social outlook.
While transitioning to sustainable energy requires skills and building this skills base will need more technical and vocational training, stronger curricula, and expanded use of information and communications technology for remote learning.
Relevant skills are required for the increased deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and regional energy integration.
Furthermore, efforts towards speeding up and decreasing the cost of universal access to clean, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, which in turn contributes to poverty reduction and improved livelihoods.Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na
