Energy

Dongfang seeking to construct hydrogen projects

Dongfang seeking to construct hydrogen projects

CHAMWE KAIRA Dongfang Electric of China has expressed interest in constructing and supplying equipment for the planned green hydrogen projects in the country. Xiong Chao, Deputy General Manager of M&E Division II, told Observer Money that most of its business is construction, manufacture and supply of equipment for energy projects such as hydrogen projects. “We are one of the biggest power equipment manufacturers, if there are some hydrogen projects, that are interested to work with us, we would be interested to work with them and partner on these hydrogen projects.” Chao said the company has worked on many hydrogen energy…
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Second Oil and Gas conference is set to unlock investment opportunities

Second Oil and Gas conference is set to unlock investment opportunities

Niël Terblanché Windhoek will host the second Namibia Oil and Gas Conference from 20 to 22 August . Co-hosted by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), this event aims to provide a platform for the public and private sectors, entrepreneurs, and the general public to explore investment opportunities in the country’s burgeoning oil and gas sector. NIPDB Chief Executive Officer, Nangula Uaandja, said that the conference will focus on five key sectors, with particular attention to energy, mining, and agriculture. Uaandja highlighted the importance of inclusive conversations among industry players…
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NamPower set to launch N$2 billion biomass power plant

NamPower set to launch N$2 billion biomass power plant

Niël Terblanché NamPower is set to begin construction of a 40MW biomass power generation station at Otjikoto Substation near Tsumeb. With an estimated development cost exceeding N$2 billion, the project is another significant step in Namibia's efforts to enhance its energy security and utilize renewable resources. The Otjikoto Biomass Power Station, the first and largest of its kind in the country, will generate electricity through the combustion of wood chips sourced from encroacher bush that grows in the areas surrounding the envisaged plant. During a signing ceremony held in Windhoek last week, NamPower's Managing Director, Simson Haulofu, pointed to the…
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Mnyupe allays environmentalists’ fear of Green Hydrogen Project

Mnyupe allays environmentalists’ fear of Green Hydrogen Project

Niël Terblanché The Green Hydrogen Commissioner of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme, James Mnyupe, has assured that the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) will oversee the development of a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) for the Southern Corridor Development Initiative (SCDI), which includes the TKNP. This comes after the call for an independent and transparent Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the green hydrogen sector in Namibia by the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE). This call was made on International Day for Biodiversity and directed at the Namibian and German governments as well as the European Union. International…
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Namibia renews biodiversity conservation amidst global challenges

Namibia renews biodiversity conservation amidst global challenges

Niël Terblanché Namibia reaffirmed its dedication to conserving biodiversity, highlighting the critical role it plays in sustaining ecosystems, providing food and medicine, and contributing to overall human well-being. During the celebration of International Biological Diversity Day in Lüderitz, Pohamba Shifeta, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said that biodiversity conservation is not just an environmental issue but a foundational element for economic stability and cultural heritage. In his address, the minister pointed out that human activities such as deforestation, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change pose unprecedented threats to biodiversity. "The loss of biodiversity has far-reaching consequences, impacting food…
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Namibia requires a fit-for-purpose Oil and Gas blueprint

Namibia requires a fit-for-purpose Oil and Gas blueprint

Martin Endjala Namibia requires a forward-looking, fit-for-current and future-purpose Oil and Gas value blueprint and strategy. Jason Kasuto, the managing director of Monasa Advisory and Associates and chairperson of the Economic Association of Namibia, said this last week at the 2024 Africa Energies Summit in London. Kasuto emphasised the importance of using foresight tools like the Namibian Socio-Economic Assessment Model (SAM) to analyse the potential impact of future oil and gas spending across various sectors. “We must start with a thorough analysis of potential impacts across various sectors by applying socio-economic impact foresight tools such as the SAM, which is…
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Robust partnerships needed to achieve clean cooking goals

Robust partnerships needed to achieve clean cooking goals

Niël Terblanché Cooking on fires fueled by wood or animal dung has severe health, environmental, and gender equality implications, leading to approximately 600,000 premature deaths annually, mostly among women and children around the world. The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, stressed an urgent need for robust partnerships with industrialised countries, multinational companies, and the global private sector to finance clean cooking initiatives across Africa. Schlettwien spoke at the Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, which is currently underway in Paris. He pointed to the financial constraints that have impeded Namibia and many other African countries from…
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Paladin secures seven offtakes for uranium

Paladin secures seven offtakes for uranium

CHAMWE KAIRA Paladin Energy, which owns the Langer Heinrich Mine has secured seven offtakes for its uranium production, the company announced this week. The company said strong demand for nuclear energy is driven by global decarbonisation worldwide. Paladin notes that nuclear energy is the second largest source of global clean energy with almost zero carbon emissions. It also noted that Chinese demand for nuclear energy is expected to grow from 15% to 33% of global requirements by 2040. Paladin said 19 million pound of uranium oxide production is contracted to the year 2030 representing 48% of volume. The company also…
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Installed renewable capacity stands at 30%

Installed renewable capacity stands at 30%

CHAMWE KAIRA Namibia has excellent renewable energy resources, however, installed renewable capacity in the country is just over 30% of total generation, the World Bank has estimated. The bank now wants to help Namibia to strengthen the power grid, which it says is critical to enabling the integration of more variable renewable energy sources in the system. The World Bank is now planning to help Namibia to minimize outage risks, support load growth, and unlock future opportunities for power trade in the Southern African Power Pool. The bank said the US$138,5 million project funding by IBRD Fund for Innovative Global…
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Alweendo denies promoting foreign investors above Namibians

Alweendo denies promoting foreign investors above Namibians

Martin Endjala The Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, on Tuesday denounced the notion that he is promoting foreign investors above Namibians. He said this during a meeting with the Namibia Local Business Association (NALOBA). “I am not promoting foreign investors above Namibians, as this is the notion being spread around. What I am saying is that as Namibians, we need to compete amongst each other and not against the likes of Shell or TotalEnergy so that we develop the businesses to take over the industry. The notion that I do not want Namibians to participate is totally wrong.…
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