Solarcentury Africa Limited has broken ground on the construction of the Gerus Solar One 19.3 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Namibia.
The project, which is expected to reach commercial operation date (COD) in June 2025, is being built by Solarcentury Africa Limited in partnership with Sino Energy (Pty) Limited, and is set to become Southern Africa’s first fully merchant independent power producer (IPP).
Gerus Solar One will be 100% owned by Solarcentury Power, the merchant power division of Solarcentury Africa.
Solarcentury and its power trading company, Solarcentury Trading, will sell the power generated directly to utilities and large industrial customers within Namibia or neighboring countries, as well as on the Southern African Power Pool.
This follows Solarcentury Africa Limited and Sino Energy (Pty) Limited reaching financial close on the US$20 million (N$354 million) plant.
“Yesterday’s (Friday) event was a massive success, and we couldn’t be more grateful for everyone’s contributions. Each one of you played a crucial role in bringing our strategy to life, making this milestone possible. We at the Solarcentury Africa team are excited to keep you updated as we continue making progress on this project,” said Solarcentury Africa CEO, Jason De Carteret.
The plant is situated between Otjiwarongo and Outjo, in the Otjozondjupa region, where it connects to the NamPower Gerus substation and the main North-South transmission network.
The project has secured a generation license from Namibia’s Electricity Control Board (ECB), connection agreements from NamPower, and an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the Ministry of Environment. It is also backed by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB).
Solarcentury Africa is developing additional projects in Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia. As part of BB Energy Group, Solarcentury Africa specializes in solar PV and energy storage across Africa.