CHAMWE KAIRA
The Erongo Region may soon see the establishment of one of the biggest renewable projects in the country, documents obtained by Observer Money have shown.
Green Earth Environmental Consultants have been appointed by ISF Trading Enterprises (Pty) Ltd to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) in order to obtain an Environmental Clearance Certificate to construct and operate a green energy complex (including a 300 000 BPSD oil refinery, 500 MW renewable energy power plant and related storage tank farms.
The power plant will be a gas to power plant, according to the documents. Furthermore, a water desalination plant is also planned on the complex.
The plant is planned for Portion 46 of the remainder of Farm 58 in Walvis Bay. According to the project plans, it is the intention of ISF Trading Enterprises to develop a green energy complex.
The objectives of the green energy complex in Walvis Bay include reducing the cost that the government and people are currently spending on importing refined products to fulfil the demand of ‘green’ fossil fuels each year.
The other objectives will include the provision of affordable electricity and potable water and relieving port congestion in the Walvis Bay harbour and roads linking the harbour with Namibia and the rest of Africa.
The facilities to be developed on Portion 46 will be linked with the harbour in order to pump raw product (crude oil) and seawater to the site and to pump refined, finished and processed product back to the harbor.
The plant will have a dedicated ground pipeline for Heavy fuel oil (HFO) and Light fuel oils (LFO), automotive diesel oil, unleaded petrol, Jet-A1 and dual purpose kerosene.
The refined water will be pumped to Farm 58 to supplement the water demand for the activities at Portion 46. Once the onsite water treatment facility is operational, water will be supplied from that. ErongoRED will initially provide power to the development until the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) system is up and running to supply power for the development.
The construction for energy generation, transmission and storage activities will include the generation of electricity, transmission and supply of electricity and refining of gas, oil and petroleum products.
“Stakeholders will be given the opportunity to comment on the proposed activities and engage in the planning process,” the company said.
