Staff Writer
The Renewable Energy Industry Association of Namibia (REIAoN) has appointed Paulus Mulunga as its new chairperson, with the renewable energy industry leader pledging to position the association as a central private-sector coordinating force and unified voice for Namibia’s renewable energy sector.
Mulunga, a long-serving member of REIAoN’s leadership, previously served as secretary of the association before ascending to the chairmanship.
He said his tenure would focus on moving REIAoN from advocacy towards coordinated action by making better use of the technical, commercial and institutional expertise within its membership.
“A central theme of my tenure will be moving from advocacy towards coordinated action. REIAoN has a diverse membership with significant technical, commercial and institutional expertise, and we need to harness that knowledge more effectively,” Mulunga said.
As part of this approach, Mulunga said he would oversee the establishment of specialised task forces, each led by a chairperson with a clear mandate, action plan and measurable deliverables.
The task forces will focus on areas including solar PV GreenSeal and installer quality, net metering and distributed energy, independent power producers (IPPs), electric mobility, green hydrogen, suppliers and local manufacturing, as well as government and political engagement.
“These task forces are platforms through which members identify industry challenges, develop solutions and engage the appropriate institutions collectively,” Mulunga said.
He identified stronger engagement with the Electricity Control Board (ECB) as another key priority, saying structured and constructive engagement with the regulator would be important in creating an enabling environment for renewable energy development.
Key areas of engagement with the ECB will include simplifying generator licensing, regulation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electric vehicles, implementation of Net Metering Rules, regulation of large mini-grids and emerging opportunities in the electricity market.
Mulunga also highlighted the Namibia PV GreenSeal initiative as an important mechanism for improving installer competence, installation quality and consumer confidence in the solar PV market.
He said REIAoN should bring commercial banks, insurers, training institutions, utilities, regulators and industry players together to ensure that recognised technical competence translates into greater consumer confidence, improved access to finance and stronger opportunities for qualified local installers.
Beyond Namibia, Mulunga said REIAoN should contribute to regional discussions on the growing demand for electricity as Southern Africa’s population and industrialisation expand.
He said Namibia’s abundant renewable energy resources, strategic geographical position and access to the Southern African Power Pool could enable the country to become an increasingly important regional energy player.
“REIAoN should therefore contribute to discussions around regional power trading, transmission and grid expansion, cross-border electricity markets and how Namibia can maximise periods of abundant renewable generation while benefiting from competitive regional electricity when appropriate,” Mulunga said.
