Germany Continues To Support Namibia’s Sustainable Development

15 Dec 2023

Namibia has signed three different loan agreements with Germany's development bank in December 2023 accumulating to approximately 1,8 billion N$ for projects in the water, electricity and agricultural sector.

The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Namibia's National Planning Commission and the electricity utility NamPower signed a grant agreement for 400 million N$ (approx. 20 million Euro) for the first utility scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Namibia and Southern Africa.

The envisaged 54 MW BESS Plant that will be constructed at the Omburu substation 12km south-east of Omaruru.

NamPower will contribute approximately 100 million N$ to ensure the total project cost of around 500 million N$ is fully covered. The BESS will store surplus renewable energy as well as electricity imported from the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) to supply electricity at peak times and offset the use of the Van Eck coal power plant in Windhoek.

A BESS plant, photo for illustration.
Photo by: IE Corporation

 

NamPower also signed agreements with two companies to erect the BESS.  Shandong Electrical, Engineering & Equipment Group (SDEE) and battery manufacturer-integrator Narada Power. They entered a joint venture and will complete the project over 18 months.

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Iipumbu Shiimi and KfW signed an agreement for a concessional loan of 1,026 billion N$ (approx. 50 mil. Euros) to finance the rehabilitation and extension of the Gammams and Otjomuise wastewater treatment plants in Windhoek. The objective of the project is to upgrade the existing wastewater treatment capacities and improve Windhoek’s potable water supply by providing feed water for the city’s direct potable reclamation plants.

The project is financed on behalf of and with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented through the KfW.

Namibia regularly experiences extreme and prolonged drought periods. This results in a highly sensitive water supply situation for the whole country and the central area which requires precise demand management and reuse of existing water resources as well as urgent development of new ones.

The financing of the rehabilitation and extension of the Gammams and Otjomuise Wastewater Treatment Plants is therefore in line with the long-term strategies identified by the City of Windhoek and the Namibian Government in regard to ensuring the supply and most efficient use of water for its citizens. Once the project is completed, the capacity of the two plants will be improved.  A second direct potable reclamation plant will be constructed.

This is also financed by the KfW and will be implemented at the same time as the upgrade works are carried out for the wastewater treatment plants.

Lastly, on 14 December 2023, the Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) and KfW entered into a historic agreement and signed a first concessional loan of just over 400 million N$. This collaboration aims to empower farmers operating in both communal and commercial areas through loans, as well as other agricultural or food-processing small enterprises in Namibia.

Brigitte Weidlich

Sorry, we can’t seem to find any matches for your search. Have a look at our popular searches below.

Lodges

(12)

Tours

(12)

Nature

(12)