Solarcentury Africa and SolNam Energy Licensed to Build a 60 MWp Merchant Solar Project in Namibia
1st February 2024
• Solarcentury Africa and SolNam Energy have received a generation licence from the Electricity Control Board (“ECB”) in Namibia to build a 60 MWp solar plant with a proposed connection to the Kokerboom sub-station near Keetmanshoop.
• This follows the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (“JDA”) in 2023 between the two parties to jointly develop the project.
Solar Century Africa Limited (“Solarcentury Africa”) and SolNam Energy Pty Limited (“SolNam”) are pleased to announce they have received their updated generation licence from the Electricity Control Board (“ECB”) to build the SolNam 60 MWp solar project in southern Namibia, near Keetmanshoop. The two companies previously signed a Joint Development Agreement, in early 2023 to co-develop the project. The project has land secured near to the Kokerboom sub-station, obtained the required environmental clearance certificate from MEFT in 2022 and is targeting a financial close in 2024.
Both Solarcentury Africa and SolNam aim to develop various renewable energy assets in Southern Africa to provide more power to a region that is currently experiencing a power deficit. The project will help Namibia in reaching its climate change targets, and transition away from fossil fuels, which it has committed to under the recent COP28 framework in Dubai.
This project will be Solarcentury Africa’s second merchant project in Namibia and will be primarily focused on supplying Namibian customers. It follows the 20 MWp Gerus solar PV plant that is due to enter construction in the coming months, a strategy made possible by Solarcentury Africa’s membership of the Southern African Power Pool (“SAPP”) as a market participant, announced in November 2023. The SAPP membership and the continued development of the SolNam project are important steps in the growth of Solarcentury Africa’s power trading business in the SADC region. Solarcentury Africa’s objective of becoming a leading power trader in Southern Africa will be achieved by combining its considerable experience as a developer of solar PV and storage plants in Africa with the energy trading expertise and ability to deploy significant capital of its parent company group, BB Energy. Solarcentury Africa believes that the merchant route opens the opportunity to deliver significant new renewable power generation capacity quickly and cost effectively. This will contribute to the energy transition in the region and help meet the region’s growing power needs.
Jason de Carteret, CEO of Solarcentury Africa said, “We are thrilled to partner with SolNam on this important project for Namibia. The welcomed news that we have now received our updated generation license from ECB is an important milestone for the project and underlines Namibia’s commitment to renewable energy and to this project.”
Saskia Breuer, Managing Director, SolNam UG said, “This is fantastic news that enables us to usher in a new era in energy supply throughout the region. We are very excited and look forward to the development together with Solarcentury Africa”.
About SolNam Energy Pty Limited
SolNam’s mission is to establish a region where IPPs that do quality work are allowed to work efficiently, as well as a region that can reduce its capacity deficit in the long term, can attract and sustain industrialisation and create and maintain jobs in the long term. The SolNam PV plant offers an exceptional investment opportunity in a hybrid solar farm park that is based on a revolutionary approach. SolNam’s vision is to achieve economic growth in the entire SADC region. SolNam UG was founded in Germany in 2020 and was part of the Namibian German business delegation in December 2020.
About Solarcentury Africa
Solarcentury Africa is one of the leading renewable energy developers in Africa with over ten years of experience operating on the continent. Headquartered in the UK with a physical presence in several countries in Africa, it is a market leader in the development of solar PV and energy storage projects using smart energy technology and controls in sub-Saharan Africa. Solarcentury Africa’s projects, partnerships and technologies generate clean power for investors, businesses, and communities. Solarcentury Africa is part of the BB Energy Group.
About BB Energy
BB Energy was founded in the 1960s and today is one of the world’s leading independent energy trading companies, with a fast-growing renewable energy and emission reduction division. The company has some 500 employees in 12 offices around the world, with key trading hubs in London, Dubai, Houston, and Singapore. Solarcentury Africa sits under the BB Energy Group.
Media Contacts
Karim Bassatne
Head of Corporate Communications
T: +971 4 432 8300
E: corporatecommunications@bbenergy.com