In Southern Africa, the 5MW Ombepo Wind Farm is expected to be connected to Namibia’s national electricity grid by the end of this month.

Speaking to The Namibian, project manager Jan-Barend Scheepers said: “We have erected the first four wind turbines, and work is in progress to lift another one.”

He added: “Although it was very difficult to get the wind turbine components on site, it was an absolute pleasure working with Namport to get all parts on site.”

Ombepo Wind Farm

The construction of the $13.6 million wind power project at Lüderitz is being built by Namibia-registered company, Innosun Energy Holdings, owned by Namibian and French investors.

The Namibian reported that the Lüderitz Town Council holds a 5% stake, started in mid-2016.

Scheepers noted that the project developers, in terms of the power supply agreement, charge the national power utility, NamPower, per unit of electricity fed into the national grid.

“The cost of per unit electricity is cheap,” he said.

“We are now bringing solutions to Namibia to keep the money here,” he said, adding that Namibia spent billions of dollars on importing electricity from neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe, media reported. Read more…

Having created an estimated 70 local jobs, Innosun will build a third 5MW solar park at Aussenkehr, on the banks of the Orange River, as well as a second wind farm to supply Namdeb.

“One good thing of localising power supply is that it reduces energy loss along the grid,” Scheepers said.

Featured image: archiexpo.com