Namibia CSP pre-feasibility study

CONTEXT

Despite its good energy policies, Namibia has regions where energy imports exceed 70% of the energy consumed. Additionally, due to the lack of a renewable energy policy, renewable penetration is low.

OBJECTIVES

Albeit the main goal of the Pre-feasibility study encompassed the selection of a limited number of potential sites for the establishment of a 5 to 50 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant and possible solar parks. This project includes the analysis of the following points:

• Namibia electricity sector overview;
• Nation-wide solar resource assessment;
• Site selection and environmental analysis – Top 5 sites;
• CSP high level technology review, power plant layout and basic engineering for the top 5 sites;
• Best practices on solar ground measurements;
• CSP development in Namibia and technology transfer program.

DESCRIPTION

The Pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a Pre-commercial CSP in Namibia, in order to conclude the Namibian electricity sector’s overview, the project development includes desk review of existing reports and data. Based on the respective review, to be possible to assess Namibia real energy needs as well as to conclude which were the real least cost alternatives to satisfy it, that is, Namibia’s future electricity supply mix.

Note that, Namibia has been a net importer of electricity for many years and continues to import up to 70% of its electricity consumption from a number of countries in the region. Therefore, under the electricity supply analysis, a closer look to the agreements established with the neighbor countries, from which these imports are obtained, to the interconnection capacity and also the assessment of the status of each individual power market.

Hence the project includes solar resource mapping, with uncertainty analysis on the applied models. The regional identification of resource potential through a multi-criteria analysis in GIS, taking into consideration environmental constraints, water availability, distance do grid, distance to suitable roads for equipment transport, solar resource, temperature and social impact.

Despite a good overall energy policy, Namibia’s lack of grid based renewable electricity is mainly due to an absence of a specific renewable energy policy. Therefore, the project also focus on the renewable energy procurement instruments/mechanisms and financing models, provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of not only the different incentive systems for renewables but also the main alternative business models and their applicability for use in Namibia.

It includes also the identification of programmatic actions to enhance CSP development in Namibia, leading to cheap and clean energy and promoting a national cluster that creates jobs and wealth.

SUMMARY OF SERVICES

• Namibia electricity sector overview
• Nation-wide solar resource assessment
• Site selection and environmental analysis – Top 5 sites
• CSP high level technology review, power plant layout and basic engineering for the top 5 sites
• Best practices on solar ground measurements
• CSP development in Namibia and technology transfer program