Namibia is moving to reduce regulatory uncertainty for embedded generation projects by introducing standardised online applications and targeting a 30-day turnaround for systems below one megawatt.
The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has launched a national embedded generation platform that will allow renewable-energy developers, businesses, households and institutions to submit applications digitally while enabling electricity distributors to assess proposed grid connections online.
The move is aimed at creating a more predictable approval environment as investment in distributed renewable generation, particularly solar photovoltaic systems, expands across Namibia.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Robert Kahimise said the electricity sector is undergoing a fundamental transition as consumers increasingly invest in their own generation capacity.
He said standardising application requirements would provide greater transparency for applicants while giving utilities and regulators consistent information on embedded generation projects.
“By launching this unified online platform with standardised rules, Namibia becomes one of the first states to give applicants, utilities and the regulator a single source of truth,” Kahimise said.
For projects below one megawatt, the regulator is targeting a 30-day turnaround, potentially providing developers and businesses with greater certainty when planning investment in self-generation.
“We commit to reviewing platform performance quarterly and publishing processing times. Our target is a 30-day turnaround for systems under one megawatt,” Kahimise said.
The platform does not remove technical or regulatory requirements for connecting embedded generation to distribution networks.
Electricity distributors will continue assessing whether proposed installations meet technical requirements and whether networks have sufficient capacity to accommodate the additional generation.
However, digitising the process is expected to improve visibility over application status and reduce inconsistencies in how embedded generation projects are processed.
European Union Ambassador to Namibia Ana-Beatriz Martins said regulatory predictability is critical to attracting renewable-energy investment.
“Investors into renewable energy need clear rules, predictable procedures and transparency. They also need confidence that national and regional energy providers have the tools and capacity to manage a changing market,” Martins said.
She said Namibia’s solar and wind resources provide significant opportunities for renewable-energy investment, but these need to be supported by effective institutions, regulations and electricity planning.
“This platform is about much more than technology. It is about how Namibia manages its energy transition, encourages new investment and builds a more modern, efficient and inclusive electricity system,” she said.
The platform will also establish a central database of embedded generation installations, allowing the ECB and electricity distributors to track the location and capacity of privately generated electricity connected to distribution networks.
The information will support network planning and help utilities identify where additional infrastructure may be required as distributed generation increases.
GIZ Namibia Country Director Tobias Gerster said the growth of embedded generation creates opportunities for energy security and economic development, while requiring improved planning and oversight.
“It makes the application processes simpler and easier. It makes tracking easier. It makes information more current and more up to date,” Gerster said.
The platform was developed through the GET.transform programme, co-funded by the European Union and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The €2.9 million programme supports energy governance, planning, regulation and renewable-energy integration in Namibia.
