230509001450 - Environmental Impact Assessment for the Construction of the Proposed ORE 50MWac Solar PV Power Plant in Katima Mulilo, Zambezi Region

Namibia is regarded as a net exporter of electricity, local electricity generation is derived from hydropower, coal and diesel burning power stations; however, this is not enough to meet local demand (INCUNFCC, 2002) necessitating the country to source the balance, amounting to more than 60%, from other countries within the Southern African region such as Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique; of which South Africa’s contribution is dominant at 53% (von Oertzen, 2012). Despite the current situation, the energy consumption in Namibia follows an upward trajectory because of the unavoidable dependency of national development on the availability, supply, demand and use of energy (Ajayi & Ajayi, 2013). Namibia will thus have to develop, as a matter of urgency, its own capacity to generate electricity (Kapika & Eberhard, 2010). It is against this background that Omukwa Renewable Energy (Pty) Ltd has embarked on this opportunity to contribute towards energy self-sufficiency and efficiency by constructing an 50MWac Solar PV Power Plant in the town of Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region. The overall solar PV development will be rolled out in two phases. Phase one will be 10MWac PV power plant. Whereas phase two will be a 40MWac PV power plant.