Namibia is a country with phenomenal irradiation for solar energy and in certain areas strong wind energy opportunities. Sadly, our existing energy strategies and initiatives place limitations on becoming a net exporter of energy by leveraging these natural resources.
This is simply because Namibia’s approach is to persist in using its neighbouring countries energy to keep our entire grid going. At the recent Southern Africa Power Pool/ ECB workshop held in Windhoek, it was clear that whilst solar energy can be fast tracked, the grid is not being evolved to accommodate high intermittent energy sources. Moreover, Namibia currently has no baseload and balancing resources of its own, apart from a few megawatts here and there.
We see what is happening in the countries around us; loadshedding, energy curtailment and in some instances the total non-availability of energy. South Africa has been running their standby generators non-stop, expensively burning diesel just to keep their grid going. It is well known that their coal fleet is dilapidated, and renewables have proven to be incapable of being able to address the widening energy gap.
The result is that the baseload capacity is dwindling at a forbidding pace.
Here is the problem, Namibia keeps the lights on by using energy from its neighbours and should South Africa’s standby generators fail, and it is widely reported that such failures are imminent with the generators being operated beyond acceptable industry standards, the stage is set for a disastrous outcome for Namibia’s energy system.
And we are only talking about maintaining the status quo of our existing energy needs, not anticipating the massive energy expansions needed from the latest finds in the Oil & Gas sectors that is literally jaw dropping.
Will our apathy render doom for our country? Is Namibia destined to a future of load shedding, and limited to no energy available to enable industry expansion and growth? How long will our energy strategy mindset be set in the past, believing that such a scenario will not happen to us? Let’s look back, South Africa was at the forefront of energy generation not that long ago but look where it is now.
So, what is the solution… we must build more gas to power resources that can be operated continuously against the intermittent nature of renewables to ensure that we can keep the grid going and at the same time increase the renewable penetration.
Yes, the capital investment is significant, but the net result will be not only be more affordable power but more importantly, energy security to unlock Namibia’s continued growth and economic resilience. Obviously, the grid must be enhanced, strengthened and the connectors to our neighbours must be expanded – and this is a relatively easily achievable strategy if our planning starts now.
I ask the question; are we going to sit back and wait for disaster or are we going to take a couple of bold steps to secure an energy empowered Namibia?
*Hilifa Mbako is a Council member of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, of which he is the past President. He writes in his private capacity.
