Construction of the Oshikoto Biomass Power Station Project, valued at N$2.3 billion and located near Tsumeb, is set to begin following a recent ground-breaking ceremony.
This power station will generate 40 megawatts of baseload electricity, significantly enhancing Namibia's energy security.
Namibia aims to expand its renewable energy portfolio by increasing electricity supply through biomass.
During the ground-breaking ceremony, Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo emphasized the importance of bush harvesting in boosting renewable energy on Namibia's grid.
“Besides wind and solar, biomass will also be renewable because the bush being used will be harvested repeatedly. This is a very important project; it will not only provide electricity but also have a much larger economic impact. Debushing the farms around the project will increase their carrying capacity,” he stated.
NamPower's Managing Director, Kahenge Haulofu, highlighted that the decade-long planning of the project reflects the entity's commitment to a greener and more economically resilient future.
“As we have always aimed to divert funds from electricity imports to support our own Namibian products, this initiative will help us generate electricity for our country's economy,” he explained.
The long-term biomass supply for the project will be managed by a joint venture that includes Nexus, Africa Biomass, the Forestry Group of Companies, Santos Investment, and PHP Interactive CC, among others.
Toivo Nuuglu, the Managing Director of SANTOS Investment, stated,
“We will debush the farms for free in exchange for the biomass removed. In return, farmers will benefit from the cost savings associated with rebushing, which can be quite high. We encourage all farmers in the Tsumeb area who wish to participate in this initiative to contact NamPower or us so we can include them in our database and assist in eliminating the invasive bush.”
NamPower's EPC contractor, DongFang Electric International Corporation, a globally recognized leader, will collaborate to establish the Oshikoto Biomass Power Station as a premier biomass energy facility in Africa.