Martin Endjala
Amidst ongoing water and energy woes in many regions across the country, the Capricorn Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has committed to addressing water and energy challenges across regions.
According to the foundation’s executive officer, Marlize Horn, it has partnered with stakeholders such as the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN) and Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) Namibia to launch the global Just Transition to the Future (JTF) Water-Energy Nexus Open Innovation Challenge.
“The initiative aims to identify and develop innovative solutions that address the critical challenges surrounding water and energy in drought-prone regions in Namibia.
According to her, the foundation has committed an investment of N$300 000 to support the challenge, which will fund the prize money, facilitate project development on the skilled platform, and cover implementation costs.
“By supporting initiatives like this, the Capricorn Foundation reaffirms its commitment to driving sustainability and innovation that benefits local communities and the broader Namibian economy,” said Horn.
The JTF Water-Energy Nexus Innovation Challenge, according to her, will explore integrated solutions that optimize water and energy use in a socially inclusive manner, taking into account all three sustainability dimensions, including social, economic, and environmental.
The aim is to create sustainable systems adapted for different areas, like farming, industry, communities, and households, to help them thrive amid drought and climate change.
The challenge specifically targets the water-energy interconnection, which poses one of the most pressing concerns for local communities and industries in regions like Namibia that are prone to water scarcity.
The challenge will require participants to create integrated solutions that power advanced water management technologies with renewable energy.
These technologies can include, for example, water recycling, energy-efficient water distribution, and water-saving infrastructure.
The objective is to help regions affected by drought achieve energy efficiency and water conservation simultaneously.
The goal of the challenge, which will take place over a year, is to produce scalable and replicable solutions that Namibia and other drought-prone regions can use.
Olga Rataj, associate industrial development officer and GCIP programme lead explained that the JTF Namibia Innovation Challenge is also part of the global innovation challenges within the UNIDO’s Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP).
These challenges, focusing primarily on advancing just energy transitions (JET), she said, encourage joint action through collaboration between private sector partners and innovators and promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTIC), emphasising that the JTF Water-Energy Nexus Innovation Challenge highlights GCIP’s focus on advancing innovative solutions to accelerate Just Energy Transitions.
“By tackling the interconnected challenges of water and energy, this initiative fosters scalable and sustainable solutions that empower communities facing critical climate challenges,” said Rataj.
“This is a significant step in creating real-world solutions for some of the most challenging issues in water and energy sustainability,” said Fred Walti, chief executive officer of NGIN. “
He said he looks forward to seeing the innovative ideas that emerge from this challenge and how they will benefit local communities and industries.
As Namibia faces the growing threat of water scarcity and energy inefficiency, this challenge, Walti said, represents a key effort in promoting a sustainable future.
The agriculture ministry has rolled out various programmes to address drought and, in particular, water challenges, with the installation of boreholes.
NamWater is also carrying out upgrades on its desalination plants and increasing capacity at the water plants to satisfy the demands of the growing population.
