ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY News & Analysis
Namibia
Page
Country Briefing
1
March 2018
2
March 2018
Page
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Quick Facts Population size Employment Literacy
2.30 million
GDP Growth 2018(P) Repo Rate Interest rate (Prime) Inflation rate
1.4% 6.75% 10.50% 3.50%
62.7%1 89.00%
Geographic size 824,292 km²
Budget (Current) N$65.0 Billion2
Free vector map of Namibia outline - by One Stop Map
Industries Telecom (sophistication) Mobile - cell phones
Tourism, Mining, Fishing
Water Availability / capita3
8, 800, 000Litres/capita
Electricity Gen. (Local) Electricity Demand (all)
484.000 MW
LTE 2.575 million subscribers
629.000 MW
1
Namibia Labour Force Survey (NLFS) of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) http://www.mof.gov.na/documents/27827/506801/Budget+Speech+2018.pdf/3f0b42f6-2c2d-4502-bca8b84f5d6951cc 3 2005 Figures https://www.greenfacts.org/en/water-resources/figtableboxes/aquastat123.htm
Page
3
2
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Table of Contents Economy at a glance............................................................................................................................... 7 •
Namibia’s 2017 Economic Growth Outlook ................................................................................ 7
•
February 2018 Economic Outlook Update s ............................................................................... 8
•
2018 Budget Framework............................................................................................................. 9
•
Namibia Unemployment and Inequality rates on the rise ......................................................... 9
A glimpse of the future ........................................................................................................................ 10 •
Use of Drones in Wind Turbine Inspections.............................................................................. 10
Oil & Gas ............................................................................................................................................... 12 •
April Fuel prices......................................................................................................................... 12
•
Namcor and the Petroleum storage facility .............................................................................. 12
Uranium ................................................................................................................................................ 13 •
New Nam, Russia uranium projects to start ............................................................................. 13
•
Minister of Mines and Energy disproves Namibia-Russia nuclear deal .................................... 13
•
Call for Investment in Mining .................................................................................................... 13
Electricity .............................................................................................................................................. 15 •
Approved Electricity Tariffs (2017) ........................................................................................... 15
•
February 2018 Economic Outlook Update – Electricity & Water ............................................. 16
•
Ombili residents in Otjiwarongo get electricity ........................................................................ 17
•
Erongo RED inaugurated its refurbished headquarters at Walvis Bay ..................................... 17
•
Schools in Omaheke Region disconnected ............................................................................... 17
•
NamPower Cancels Xaris Deal .................................................................................................. 17
•
Africa’s first ‘Waste-to-Energy’ Plant built in Ethiopia ............................................................. 18
Renewable Energy ................................................................................................................................ 19 •
Keetmanshoop’s 6 MWp Solar PV commissioned .................................................................... 19
•
Construction of a new Solar PV plant at Mariental .................................................................. 19
Low Dam levels ......................................................................................................................... 20
•
Celebrating International World Water & Wetlands Day ......................................................... 21
•
Rainfall outlook positive ........................................................................................................... 21
•
Namibia 2018 Water Spending Budget ..................................................................................... 22
•
Storm water channels for Ehenye............................................................................................. 22
•
Impact of the recent Rains ........................................................................................................ 23
•
Flood prone-areas lack proper sanitation................................................................................. 23
Page
•
4
Water .................................................................................................................................................... 20
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
The Environment & Sustainability ....................................................................................................... 24 •
Mining in Namibia and the Environment .................................................................................. 24
•
Action on Plastic uses ............................................................................................................... 24
Telecommunications ............................................................................................................................ 26 •
Namibian firms to Enter Mobile Telecoms ............................................................................... 26
•
UNESCO and CRAN sign a Communication Memorandum of Understanding ......................... 26
Roads and Transport ............................................................................................................................ 27 •
Air Namibia’s opts to use Wirecard as Payment System ......................................................... 27
•
Ondangwa Airport expects revamping ..................................................................................... 27
Financing ............................................................................................................................................... 28 •
ALTEN Africa receives finance for solar plant in Namibia ......................................................... 28
Tenders ................................................................................................................................................ 28 Careers .................................................................................................................................................. 30
Page
5
EDITORIAL TEAM ............................................................................................................................. 33
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 COVER PAGE IMAGE http://scpd.stanford.edu/search/publicCo urseSearchDetails.do?method=load&cours eId=26575091
This report is a FREE Publication and was prepared by RDJ Consulting Services CC based in Windhoek, Namibia. The content is collated from publicly available information and so its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Advertising aligned with our objectives of Sustainable Resource usage is welcome. Contact Details; RDJ Consulting Services CC PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA
Editor: Chilombo Olga Priscila & David Jarrett Author: Fares Shipaxu & Chilombo Olga Priscila
Telephone: +264 61 400 171 Email – Office@rdjconsulting.co.za RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
Page
6
Visit our website www.rdjconsulting.co.za for more information.
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Economy at a glance
Namibia’s 2017 Economic Growth Outlook4
A
ccording to the Status of the Namibian Economy Report that was compiled by the National
Planning Commission and the Office of the President in March 2018, weaker spending power and growth in public sector credit extension has crippled the country's economy in 2017 to only 0.4% growth. The report attributed the slow economic growth to poor performance by the key sectors such as the construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, trade, utility, fishing and hotels and restaurants amongst others. The report says because of these sectors, the economy contracted by 1.7%, 0.7% and 1.9% in the first, second and third quarters of 2017, respectively, which gives an overall contraction of 0.4% in 2017. This was way below the 1.1% recorded in 2016 after the world economic recession.
Figure 1 http://harvardecon.org/?p=3211
•
Construction sector contracted by 44.8%, 45.9% and 36.9% in 2017 during the first, second and third quarters of 2017, respectively and there were about 6 000 jobs lost.
•
Manufacturing sector contracted by 2.5% in 2017 before picking up a slow growth of 3.1% and 0.8% in the second and third quarters. Wholesale and retail sector registered declines of 7.5%, 8.2% and 4.4% in the first, second and third quarters of 2017, respectively due to overall reduced spending and about 13 000 people lost their jobs. The Tourism sector and the Transport and Communication sector contracted by 6.5% and 0.4% in 2017; 1.2%, 3.5% and 1.3% in the first and second quarters of 2017, respectively. Slow performance in the transport was attributed to poor performance in the construction sector.
• •
7
https://www.namibian.com.na/65608/read/Economic-growth-declines-by-04pct-in-2017
Page
4
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
The NPC report, however, said the economy was expected to rebound in the medium term owing to expected recovery in key sectors of the economy. The report stated Economic Growth is projected at 1.2% and 2.1% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
February 2018 Economic Outlook Update s5
T
he domestic economy
is estimated to have contracted in 2017 and is expected to recover gradually during 2018 and 2019. The Namibian economy is estimated to have shrunk by 0.6 percent in 2017, from a positive growth of 1.1 percent in 2016. This weak performance was mainly due to contractions in sectors such as construction, wholesale and retail trade, taxes on products, public sector, as well as, slower growth rates for manufacturing and electricity and water. Going forward, growth is projected to improve steadily to 1.4 percent and 2.1 percent in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The latest forecast revised 2017 growth downwards, largely due to weaker performances for taxes on products, diamond mining and public sector. The latest overall growth projection of -0.6 percent for 2017 represents a downward revision from a positive growth of 0.6 percent published during December 2017. As more information for 2017 became available, it is now clear that net collection for taxes on products (mainly value added tax) was lower. Moreover, diamond mining volumes came out lower than anticipated and growth for the public sector was also revised downward. Over the medium term, growth is projected to improve, mainly due to the expected recovery in taxes on products and reduced contractions in wholesale and retail trade and construction sectors. Growth is expected to increase to 1.4 percent and 2.1 percent in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Over the medium term, growth will be supported mainly by anticipated improvements in valued added tax, wholesale and retail trade, construction and sustained growth for transport and communication. Furthermore, uranium mining is expected to register robust growth rates during 2018 and 2019 and will increase its contribution to the mining and overall growth. Bank of Namibia Economic Outlook, February 2018
5
Page
8
https://www.bon.com.na/CMSTemplates/Bon/Files/bon.com.na/4d/4d10bb19-02d2-4f96-bfcab8805be4a0ac.pdf
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
2018 Budget Framework6 ➢ A budget deficit equivalent to 3.6% of GDP is projected for 2017/18, representing an improvement from deficits of 6.3% and 8.3% of GDP in 2016/17 and 2015/16, respectively. ➢ The public debt stock is expected to stabilise at 41.9% of GDP in 2017/18, a marginal fall from its 2016/17 level of 42.1% of GDP. Debt is projected to fall relative to GDP in subsequent years. ➢ Total public expenditure is budgeted at N$62.5 billion for 2017/18, representing an increase of 1.7% from the revised 2016/17 budget of N$61.5 billion. Expenditure will remain flat in subsequent years, at N$61.9 billion in 2018/19 and N$62.7 billion in 2019/20. ➢ Public revenue for 2017/18 is projected to reach N$56.4 billion, growing by 9.7% from the N$51.5 billion of revenue estimated to have been collected during 2016/17. This improvement in revenue is expected to result from stronger-than-anticipated SACU receipts. Estimates 2016/17
Estimates 2017/18
Estimates 2018/19
Estimates 2019/20
(in N$ millions)
(in N$ millions)
(in N$ millions)
(in N$ millions)
Revenue
51,512
56,425
57,192
60,795
as % of GDP
32.5%
33.0%
31.1%
30.5%
Expenditure
61,496
62,541
61,861
62,720
as % of GDP
38.8%
36.6%
33.6%
31.4%
Budget Balance
-9,984
-6,116
-4,669
-1,925
as % of GDP
-6.3%
-3.6%
-2.5%
-1.0%
Specification
Namibia Unemployment and Inequality rates on the rise7
U
nemployment and Inequality remain Namibia's biggest challenges, with about 37% of the
working population unemployed in 2017. The country's unemployment rate was estimated to be 37.3 % in 2017, up from 34% in 2016 and 28% recorded in 2014, by the Namibia Labour Force Survey (NLFS) of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA). Unemployment is highly concentrated in Kunene and Zambezi regions, where unemployment was recorded at 62.8% and 58.3% respectively. The unemployed rate edged closer to the all-time high of 37.6% seen in 2008 during the global financial crisis. A recent economic report by the National Planning Commission states that the working age population has increased by over 55 000 new entrants into the labour market over the past two years, a significant share of the youth population is still unemployed, now at 43.4%. The high rate of unemployment recorded over the past two years was attributed to a slowdown in employment in the agriculture sector, “which is the biggest employer in the country” according to the report. The report further stated that “Another significant decline is observed in the wholesale and retail sector, as well as public administration and defence.” This is because these sectors lost the most jobs in 2017 due to weak performance and economic conditions experienced last year. 6
Page
9
http://www.mof.gov.na/documents/27827/345303/Budget+Highlights.pdf/b802f012-f4dd-43d0-bc351c198b3c6e8e?version=1.0 7 https://www.namibian.com.na/65752/read/Unemployment-inequality-on-the-rise
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 A glimpse of the future
Use of Drones in Wind Turbine Inspections
C
ollecting wind farm data can be tricky. Climbing up to wind turbine blades to inspect them for
damage is dangerous and time-consuming. Once up there, some inspectors rely only on a cell phone camera to snap pictures of any problems. The inspection process of an entire field can take months. Also, wind turbines are very large in size, and are usually located in remote areas, making them difficult to access. Legacy inspection methods usually involve cherry pickers, hydraulic cranes, service platforms, and rope decent. Each of these methods come with their own set of risks and challenges. The use of heavy equipment, or rope climbing is time consuming, costly, and potentially dangerous. Fortunately, advancements in drone technology are turning this cumbersome maintenance effort into a safer and more streamlined data collection process.
The services that drone companies can provide to wind farm owners/operators will lead to faster, cheaper and more efficient operations and maintenance solutions, which will completely transform the O&M business.
http://www.droneomega.com/drone-inspection/
Page
8
10
❖ Wind turbine inspection teams have the potential to inspect twice as many turbines per day by using drones that follow a predetermined path. Manual inspections of turbines currently take place at a rate of two to five turbines per day. Using drones, this can be increased to ten to twelve turbine inspections per day. ❖ A drone inspection is a cost-effective and efficient inspection method compared to traditional telephotography or other manual inspection methods. Currently manual inspections can cost up to a few thousand dollars per turbine. Using a semi-automated drone inspection process with the pilot in the loop can reduce the per turbine inspection costs by up to 80%8. ❖ Drones can deliver much better data than what can be obtained by manual inspection methods. Drones can fly up to the optimal inspection distance from the turbine blade, and can circle around to cover the entire surface area. This data can be used to build a three-dimensional dynamic model of the turbine providing a level of detail that is impossible through manual inspection methods. ❖ Wind turbine towers and rotor blades are exposed to the whims of the weather. Drone inspection provides a visual or thermographic image of the state of the components.
11
March 2018
Page
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Oil & Gas
Liquid Fuels
Prices of Petrol and Diesel Pumps9 • • •
Petrol (95 Octane) - N$ 11.78 /L Diesel (500 PPM) - N$ 11.73 / L Diesel (50 PPM) - N$ 11.78 / L
Namibia has no refinery capacity to-date Namibia currently ranks 14th in the Fraser Institute Global Petroleum Survey, 2016 of small reserve holders, placing Namibia 5 places ahead of South Africa. www.fraserinstitute.org
April Fuel prices10
T
he Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed that fuel pump prices for April 2018 will remain
unchanged at N$11.78 per litre for 95 octane unleaded petrol, N$11.73 per litre for diesel 500ppm and N$11.78 per litre for diesel 50ppm.
Namcor and the Petroleum storage facility11
N
amcor representative, Utaara Hoveka reported that Namcor is looking forward to becoming the
only manager of the fuel storage and will choose a strategic partner with whom they will equally manage it. Despite the exorbitant expenses on the construction of storage space from just N$780 million in 2008 to N$5.6 billion in 2016, the petroleum storage facility is expected to be up and running by June 2018. Although the minister of mines and energy had also expressed the same understanding of Namcor being the sole manager of the facility, his direct emphasis was still on an equal endeavour in managing the place and the constraint of the necessary skills in running the place.
9
http://www.mme.gov.na/files/publications/ MARCH – same as APRIL Prices https://www.namibian.com.na/65887/read/Fuel-prices-remain-unchanged 11 https://www.namibiansun.com/news/fuel-storage-namcor-digs-in-heels2018-03-22/
Page
12
10
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Uranium
New Nam, Russia uranium projects to start12
T
he implementation of joint projects between Namibia and Russia on the exploration, mining and
processing of uranium ore in Namibia can now commence, following the lifting Namibia's moratorium on new applications for uranium prospecting licences. This is according to international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who spoke to her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a Namibia three-day visit. However, the minister said that negotiations of signing a memorandum of understanding on utilising nuclear energy in a peaceful manner are continuing.
Minister of Mines and Energy disproves Namibia-Russia nuclear deal13
T
he Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo has disproved claims that the Namibian
government is in talks with the Russian government to construct a nuclear plant on Namibian soil. Despite Russia’s strong interest in building a nuclear power plant, through Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister in 2017 and the recent visit by the country’s (Russia) Foreign minister in March 2018, the Energy and Mines Minister is adamant that Namibia has no plans for a nuclear power plant and thus outlined that, “If you have followed this issue when we agreed on the new National Integrated Resources Plan (NIRP), a plan that guides us on how we are going to generate energy from which source for the next 20 years, nuclear fuel is not part of that”. The minister, however indicated that Namibia may decide to have a nuclear power plant in the country, but there are international agreements that would have to be met first which is also a process.
Call for Investment in Mining14
D
uring a media briefing, the Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo calls for investment
attractiveness in the mining and energy sector through instrumental sector related policies. Commenting on the latest figures of capital investments in the two sectors which stood at N$43 billion in the period 2011-2016, the minister noted that the country could only do a lot with its endowments in mineral resources some of which are already on the global markets if “they are sustainably exploited for the benefits” of the Namibian nation as a whole. He further emphasised that, for the two sectors to continue contributing 10 percent or more to the Gross Domestic Product, the country has to acquire the possible capital in these two sectors. However, with the uncertainty on the New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework, economics professor Roman Grynberg says investment particularly Foreign Direct Investment into the domestic economy where mining sector is right on top will be slow. He further emphasised that, it is absolute central that the government clarify its stance on the structure of NEEF and unemployment will keep rising unless the bill is clarified. 12
https://www.namibiansun.com/news/nam-russia-uranium-projects-to-start2018-03-07 http://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9565-alweendo-plays-down-nuclear-deal-withrussia 14 https://www.namibian.com.na/65404/read/Mining-investments-at-N$43b-in-5yrs
Page
13
13
14
March 2018
Page
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Electricity
Approved Electricity Tariffs (2017) Area Provider
Tariff Schedule (Web Link)
CENORED
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/CENORED_2017.pdf
City of Windhoek Erongo RED
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/COW_2017.pdf http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/Erongo_RED_2017.pdf
Keetmanshoop http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/Keetmanshoop_2017.pdf Mariental
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/Mariental_2017.pdf
Nampower
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/NamPower_2017.pdf
NamPower Transmission NamPower TOU
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/NamPower_Transmission_2017.pdf
NORED
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/Nored_2017.pdf
OPE
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/OPE_2017.pdf
Regenstein
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/Regenstein_2017.pdf
SunGate
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/SunGate_2017.pdf
http://www.ecb.org.na/images/docs/Tariffs/2018/NP_TOU_TARIFFS_2017.pdf
Net Metering
Page
15
The original can be found at http://www.ecb.org.na//images/docs/Tariffs/documents/Net_Metering_Avoided_Cost_1617.pdf
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
February 2018 Economic Outlook Update – Electricity & Water15
G
rowth in the electricity and water sector is estimated to have moderated in 2017 and is
projected to remain stable over the medium term. Growth for the electricity and water sector is estimated at 1.4 percent in 2017, which is a deterioration from 6.8 percent in the previous year. The slowdown came from the electricity sub-sector, where local electricity generation declined and imports increased during 2017. The water sector performed better in 2017 given higher dam levels that helped in reducing water treatment costs. Going forward, growth in the electricity and water sector is expected to pick-up as the overall demand for energy and water increases in response to domestic economic recovery in 2018 and 2019.
Bank of Namibia Economic Outlook, February 2018
Page
https://www.bon.com.na/CMSTemplates/Bon/Files/bon.com.na/4d/4d10bb19-02d2-4f96-bfcab8805be4a0ac.pdf
16
15
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Ombili residents in Otjiwarongo get electricity16
A
bout 350 households in the Ombili informal settlement at Otjiwarongo now
have access to electricity in the comfort of their homes and streets through a N$3.6 million electrification project by the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (Cenored) which was implemented by government in 2005 to allocate and avail power to the consumers of Otjozondjupa and Kunene regions.
Erongo RED inaugurated its refurbished headquarters at Walvis Bay17
T
he Erongo RED building bought in 2010 at Walvis Bay was recently renovated
at a cost of N$31 million due to the need for a wider space in a modern environment. The company's aim, based on its motto 'power to the people', is that all households will be electrified by 2020. While the urban areas are nearly 100% electrified, there is still work to be done in the rural areas. The Minister of Mines said that his ministry is busy with a 20-year strategic plan for power supply and management, which prioritises alternative energy resources.
Schools in Omaheke Region disconnected18
O
ut of the thirty-one schools of which Central North Electricity Distributor
(CENORED) distributes electricity to in the Omaheke region, six were recently disconnected due to an outstanding electricity bill of N$843 000 owed by the Omaheke Regional Council. This was confirmed by CENORED spokesperson Chali Matengu.
NamPower Cancels Xaris Deal19
T
he N$5 billion Xaris energy tender to construct a power station which
NamPower selected conservatively in the town of Walvis Bay in an effort supply electricity to NamPower has been stopped. This came as a result of a spate of company shareholders and the concern that consumers will be paying exorbitant prices for electricity. It is reported that the Minister of Mines and Energy felt NamPower cancellation of Xaris is erratic and he is yet to make a civic announcement on the matter. Nonetheless, Xaris reported to have injected almost N$400 million into the project and thus threatened to take legal actions.
16
https://www.namibian.com.na/65065/read/Electricity-switched-on-at-Ombili-at-Otjiwarongo https://www.namibian.com.na/65533/read/Erongo-RED-inaugurates-revamped-headquarters 18 https://www.namibian.com.na/65797/read/Schools-in-Omaheke-region-without-electricity 19 http://allafrica.com/stories/201803010522.html
Page
17
17
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Africa’s first ‘Waste-to-Energy’ Plant built in Ethiopia20
W
aste management is one of the biggest challenges confronting many African countries. The issue
of collection, management and disposal of solid waste still features highly in major towns and cities across the region. Failure to correctly manage waste disposal has often led to flooding and the outbreak of diseases. In Ethiopia, its largest rubbish dump Koshe was for almost 50 years, home to hundreds of people who collect and resell rubbish trucked in from around the capital Addis Ababa. It, however, made headlines last in 2017 when it killed about 114 people, compelling the government to rethink an alternative use for the site which is said to be the size of 36 football pitches. Ethiopia has since turned the site into a new waste-to-energy plant via the Reppie Waste-to-Energy Project which is the first of its kind in Africa. This forms part of efforts to revolutionise waste management practices in the country. The plant, which was expected to begin operation in January 2018, will incinerate 1,400 tons of waste every day. This represents about 80 percent of the city’s waste generation. The plant will also supply the people with 30 percent of their household electricity needs. The Reppie plant in Addis Ababa is the result of a partnership between the Government of Ethiopia and a consortium of international companies: Cambridge Industries Limited (Singapore), China National Electric Engineering and Ramboll, a Danish engineering firm. The consortium is hoping that the project will be a series of similar ones in major cities across Africa.
https://face2faceafrica.com/article/ethiopia-first-african-country-build-waste-energy-plant
Page
20
18
Figure 2 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4c5bJbMGnmIMb5v1_mCt773CI4LHrQw_uHUeB96K0C-5llQf5rcNeH0H6ByFR_3NkVHOJYu7NfFcAx8ucJMmJyYI4G-V_gS=s1200
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Renewable Energy
lobal solar company Canadian Solar Inc.
has announce on the March 14, 2018 that it has successfully completed construction and started commercial operation of a 6 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) power project in Keetmanshoop, Namibia. The project reached commercial operation in November 27, 2017. Powered by 18,480 Canadian Solar's CS6U modules, the plant is expected to generate approximately 14.6 GWh of clean, reliable solar electricity each year, which will be purchased by NamPower under a 25-year Renewable Energy feed-in-tariff contract at the rate of $0.10 per kWh.
Construction of a new Solar PV plant at Mariental22
N
amPower and Greenam Energy recently
NamPower managing director Simson Haulofu said Namibia needs a sufficient supply of electricity to fulfil its development goals, and to address the situation, NamPower planned various projects in line with the national integrated resource plan. “Part of these plans to increase electricity supply in the county are agreements that NamPower signed with 17 IPPs for the supply of 171MW of renewable energy. The 17 IPPs will invest a combined total of N$4,2 billion in the electricity supply industry, and ultimately in the Namibian economy in the next 24 months,” he said. According to Haulofu, nine IPPs are already operational, amounting to N$1,1 billion in investments, while four other IPPs with a combined capacity of 101MW are at different stages of construction, including the Greenam PV plant. Alternative sources of electricity such as solar, wind, invader bush, biomass and biogas will play an essential role in meeting Namibia's current and future electricity needs. In 2017, the Cabinet approved the Renewable Energy Policy for the promotion and target setting of renewable energy sources.
celebrated the commencement of construction of a 10MW solar PV power plant at Mariental. The project is expected to be completed by September 2018 and it is one of the first independent power producers (IPPs) to be granted a conditional licence by the Electricity Control Board. The project will last
Figure 3 CREDITS: https://www.smartenergy.com/
21
22
http://investors.canadiansolar.com/phoenix.zhtml ?c=196781&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2337990
https://www.namibian.com.na/64902/read/Solarpower-generation-plant-at-Mariental
19
G
for 25 years, and the electricity will be sold to NamPower.
Page
Keetmanshoop’s 6 MWp Solar PV commissioned21
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Water
Water demand in Namibia is met via surface and artesian sources. Low Dam levels23
W
ith only one month of Namibia's current rainy season still ahead, most of the country's dams are
still emptier than they had been at this point a year ago. The March 26, 2018 Namibia Water Corporation's weekly Dam Bulletin indicated that the widespread rainfall recorded over the northern and central areas of Namibia over the past weeks has not resulted in major inflows into the country's main surface reservoirs. The different Dam levels reported by NamWater on March 26, 2018, compared to the same dams' levels a year ago, are:
Dam Hardap
26-Mar2018 46,9%
27-Mar2017 71,2%
Naute
70,6%
99,6%
Swakoppoor t Von Bach
37,4%
35,3%
51,9%
57,3%
Omatako
4,5%
58,9%
Oanob
66,8%
89,9%
Olushandja
26%
47.90%
Otjivero Main Otjivero Silt empty Tilda Viljoen
10.30%
27.50%
1.90%
1.90%
35%
29%
Daan Viljoen
24.50%
32.60%
Dreihuk
8.40%
27.30%
Bondels empty
55%
55%
https://www.namibian.com.na/65766/read/Little-improvement-in-dam-levels
Page
23
20
Figure 4 https://i.pinimg.com/originals/82/f2/b5/82f2b59f 28c7a06d3f3b90666f84b037.jpg
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Celebrating International World Water & Wetlands Day24
T
he Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) and its stakeholders observed World Water
Day on 27th March 2018 under the theme “Nature for Water”. United Nations General Assembly designated March 22 of each year as International World Water Day to be celebrated as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Namibia, as a member of the United Nations (UN), is accustomed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of which SDG 6 calls for access to safe water as well as a sound management of freshwater resources. The UN says the day is an opportunity to learn more about water issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. On the same day, MAWF also celebrated World Wetlands Day as the International Day of Forests at the UN Plaza in Katutura in Windhoek. The UN General Assembly also proclaimed March 21 the International Day of Forests in 2012. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for 2018 is “Forests and Sustainable Cities – Let’s make our city a greener, happier place to live.” Due to the fact that the proclaimed date collides with Independence Day, MAWF shifted the celebration of the International Day of Forests to March 27, 2018.
Rainfall outlook positive25
T
he Namibia Meteorological Service (NMS) announced on March 15, 2018 that with the wet
conditions in the north, continued rains have led to a cautionary notice from Namibia's Hydrological Services on March 13, 2018 due to a slight drop record of 1 cm in the Zambezi River's level at Katima Mulilo. Therefore, the Namibia Daily Flood Bulletin notice warned residents were urged to be on high alert. The Bulletin also stated that “contingency planning for flood mitigation and recovery preparation must be activated in the Zambezi Region and communities living in flood-prone areas must take precautionary measures as water levels might rise. The movement and development of the flooding situation in the Zambezi will be carefully monitored.” The Okavango River levels at Nkurenkuru and Rundu continue to drop, and on March 13, 2018 water levels stood at 2.74 metres and 5.68 metres respectively. Despite the reported drops in river levels, Chief NMS forecaster, reported that there is still more hope for rain in the country. The Swakoppoort Dam is currently at 38% capacity, compared to 35.5% capacity at the same time in the previous season. The Von Bach Dam is currently 51.9% full, compared to a higher level at the same time in the previous season, 55.9%. The Hardap Dam is at 48.5% capacity, compared to 72.7% 2017.
24
https://www.namibiansun.com/news/rainfall-outlook-positive2018-03-16/
Page
25
21
https://www.newera.com.na/2018/03/27/namibia-joins-rest-of-globe-in-observing-world-waterday/
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Namibia 2018 Water Spending Budget26
B
udget allocations to water-related programmes have picked up in 2018.
Nearly N$30.3 million is available in the 2018/19 budget rural water supply coverage, about 35% less than in the 2017/18 fiscal year. The government has allocated N$13.7 million for its Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Programme in the 2018/2019 national development budget. This is a nearly double 2017’s allocation of N$7.3 million, but still a lot less than the N$52.9 million allocated in 2016. Of 2018’s budget of N$13.7 million, N$9 million is earmarked for water resource management projects. While the whole of 2017’s N$7.3 million IWRM allocation went to this project, 2018’s allocation includes N$1.8 million for geo-hydrological investigations in the Cuvelai – Etosha Basin. The other N$2.7 million is allocated to the upgrading of a water analysis laboratory, and the quantification of groundwater resources in Namibia. Those two projects were allocated nothing in 2017.
I
nfrastructure Development, Maintenance and Rehabilitation (IDMR) Programme
Government has kicked off with N$328 million allocation to the bulk water supply project for the 2018/2019 financial year. That is about 42% of the total N$779 million allocated for the Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Rehabilitation (IDMR) Programme in 2018. Of that sub-total, over half (or some N$403 million) is allocated to the construction of large dams, desalination and provision of water to larger settlements. This project group previously got large allocations of N$1.1 billion and N$414 million in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 respectively. The smallest (N$2 million) of the allocations in this sub-category in 2018 goes to the construction of water security infrastructure. Other projects under the IDMR programme budget are rural water supply, construction of water points for livestock drinking and implementation of community-based management. A total of N$45.4 million is allocated to those projects, equating to 5.8% of the total the IDMR programme allocation. Although there is no allocation for floodwater and rainwater harvesting and irrigation scheme development, the government is planning to allocate N$26 million in 2020 once off for the whole medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) period of 2018/2019 to 2020/2021.
Storm water channels for Ehenye27
M
any Oshakati townships have over the years endured flooding, but to some such as Ehenye this
will soon be a past concern as the town council has tendered Omatando Construction to build “storm water channels” in an effort to tackle the problem. The project is expected to be completed by the end of April. Local residents have applauded Council's efforts to address the issue of their yards being filled with storm water during the rainy season.
https://www.namibiansun.com/news/govt-raises-water-spending2018-03-22/
27
https://www.namibiansun.com/news/storm-water-relief-for-ehenye2018-03-29
Page
26
22
Meanwhile, the town council’s representative said it was their sworn duty to make sure they had budgeted for the storm water channels and they intend to keep budgeting for them every year.
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Impact of the recent Rains
T
he recent rains have caused destructions in the Omusimboti village
and the road between Opuwo and Omakange. Omusimboti village28
A
t this village, an empty 10 000 litre water tank as well as one of the
power lines in the village were blown-away by the storm. However, NORED’s technicians managed to conduct repairs to the power line and restore electricity supplies afterwards. Road between opuwo and omakange29
T
he Namibian Roads Authority reported that a section on Main Road
between Opuwo and Omakange, which was constructed in 2005 in the Kunene Region was extensively damaged after heavy rains received in March 2018. The damaged section is approximately 330 meters long, whereby the surfaced road and the side concrete drain were damaged. The damaged section is located on the right hand side of the road, approximately 10 kilometres to Opuwo from Omakange. Therefore, all motorists are hereby requested to adhere to the road signs and exercise extreme caution when travelling on this section of the road. Meanwhile, the northern based reseal Contractor, Hillary and Quiver Tree, has been instructed to make the road accessible.
Flood prone-areas lack proper sanitation30
T
he recent rains have caused havoc in Zambezi region putting flood-
prone settlements of Kabbe at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases, since the affected villagers in those settlements have neither proper ablution facilities nor potable drinking water. “The problem we discovered is the issue of sanitation. Most of the toilets at schools and villages do not meet sanitation requirements. People don’t have access to toilets because it’s only a small island that is left. Most communities do not have potable water in terms of boreholes. They use floodwater that is not treated,” revealed Kabbe South Constituency Councillor. The councillor, however, said that the ministry of health has distributed purification tablets to affected villages to prevent any waterborne disease outbreak. He further urged the ministry of education to assist the learners and teachers of the affected schools with food rations since they will be camping out, as crossing streams poses a serious danger. 28
https://www.namibian.com.na/65530/read/Heavy-thunderstorm-devastates-Omusimboti-village https://economist.com.na/33678/extra/flood-water-damages-road-between-opuwo-and-omakange/ 30 https://www.newera.com.na/2018/03/22/flood-prone-areas-lack-proper-sanitation/
Page
23
29
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
The Environment & Sustainability Mining in Namibia Environment31
T
and
the
he mining towns which have been booming
in mining activities are left in inglorious conditions after mining activities. It has been reported that miners in the Dorob National Park at Arandis in the Erongo Region did not demolish their structures nor did they remove debris from the mining site at the closure of their mining activities. Seemingly, there was no clean-up of contaminants at this mining site, as the pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock piles with clean topsoil are still visible, and riverbeds are also polluted. One concerned resident said that "That's a very dangerous place we always refrain from entering as there are still metals lying on the ground and other harmful chemicals that might cause sickness”. According to the audit report on Managing of Pollution and Environment Rehabilitation of Mining Sites, there are 157 abandoned mining sites in the country. These pose environmental problems such as collapsed structures, and contamination of groundwater and soil that subsequently have effects on livestock and human health.
Action on Plastic uses 32
A
‘No Straw’ campaign has been launched in
This follows after the tourism industry, through the Hospitality Association of Namibia and Federation of Namibian Tourism Association (FENATA), with support from the Eco Awards Alliance and Recycle Namibia Forum, in December 2017 launched its “Joining hands, linking brands for a cleaner Namibia” initiative. The three organisations stated that since then, a number of organisations started taking action as well. They added that “whether coincidence, consequence or a common realisation, the time has come for Namibians to rise to the challenge. Reports of groups of people cleaning road-side stretches across the country have since filled newspapers and social media blogs, all of which adds to the national drive towards a cleaner Namibia,” With Namibia having commemorated World Water Day on 27 March, the organisations felt it apt to launch a focussed campaign as part of its national initiative, targeting specifically the hospitality industry, in the hope of limiting plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans. Therefore, Business owners are called upon to seek alternatives for the straw, if at all necessary, with local suppliers already offering biodegradable straws. Also, in support of the motto of this year's Namibia Tourism Expo, 'Small Things Matter', the organisations are calling on all Namibians, service providers and customers alike, to say 'No to Straws', and join hands for a cleaner Namibia.
32
http://allafrica.com/stories/201803020805.html https://www.namibiansun.com/news/say-no-to-straws2018-04-02/
Page
31
24
Namibia with the aim of reducing plastic pollution in the country.
Figure 5 https://simplyliving.org/uncategorized/no-straw-thanks/
25
March 2018
Page
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Telecommunications
Namibian firms to Enter Mobile Telecoms33
T
wo Namibian black-owned companies, Profile Technologies and Demshi Investment Holdings
are on course of entering Namibia's largely monopolistic mobile network industry from July 2018, at a time when the largest operator, MTC, is tangled in a web resulting from a scramble over its ownership. Their arrival has coincided with the push by the regulators to break the monopoly in the mobile telecom market. Both the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) protested against the sale of Samba shares in MTC to Namibia Post and Telecommunication Holdings (NPTH). The two entrants are however optimistic that the two state-owned mobile telecoms pose no serious threat to their soon-to-be-rolled-out networks. Hence, Werner a representative of Demshi stated that they will place emphasis on providing tailor-made innovative products or innovative value-added service. He further asserted that "We would naturally place emphasis on highly technical skills which can constantly develop new products that will appeal to our tech-savvy generation”.
UNESCO and CRAN sign a Communication Memorandum of Understanding34
U
NESCO and the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) in Windhoek on March 19, 2018 to strengthen their partnership in the areas of Communication and Information. The MoU was signed by UNESCO’s Representative and CRAN’s CEO and forms a framework for co-operation between the parties in the areas of co-operation, Regulation of the code of conduct for broadcasting service, Promotion of community broadcasting services in Namibia including the development of local content and audience research. Moreover, the MOU outlines a programme that the two organisations will collaborate on, enabling and monitoring Sector Reform in respect to cyber security, convergence, Internet-of-Things (IoT) and over-the-top (OOT) services as well as Internet of things, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence and Over the Top Services.
Figure 6 https://www.informationsecuritybuzz.com/articles/3-steps-smooth-secure-business-software-system-integration/ 33
http://allafrica.com/stories/201803190260.html https://economist.com.na/33672/general-news/unesco-cran-strengthen-partnership-in-the-field-ofcommunication/
Page
26
34
Roads and Transport Air Namibia’s opts to use Wirecard as Payment System 35
T
he national carrier of Namibia, Air Namibia, and Wirecard, a leading specialist in digital Tinancial
Technology, are cooperating in the field of payment processing. This gives Air Namibia customers around the world who book via the airline's website (www.airnamibia.com) an option of paying by Diners/Discover and JCB credit cards in addition to Visa and MasterCard. Wirecard will assume responsibility for the payment processing as well as risk management. For the payment processing of local travel agencies worldwide, Air Namibia uses the International Air Transport Association (IATA) interface for billing together with settlement plan (BSP) via Wirecard's multi-channel payment gateway. Moreover, this allows Air Namibia to process ticket sales in a faster and easier way, as this is the most widespread system in the world for simple processing of airline ticket sales.
Ondangwa Airport expects revamping36
T
he Namibian Airports Company (NAC) is expected to restore damaged tiles at Ondangwa Airport
that have been a blemish to people making use of the airport, two years after restorations were made by a Chinese Quindao Construction company which was awarded the repairing tender of Terminal and the run way at the cost of N$84 million. According to the Airport’s representative, the passenger terminal building was revamped to improve the services offered at the airport.
36
http://allafrica.com/stories/201803020801.html https://www.newera.com.na/2018/03/22/repairs-to-be-done-at-ondangwa-airport/
Page
35
27
However, shortly after the revamp the front part of the airport terminal was already cordoned off to warn travellers of the tiles that are damaged and coming off. The representative reaffirmed that, “the area cordoned off is simply to warn the travelling public about the tiles that were damaged and needed to be replaced, so that anyone walking there does not get injured”. Meanwhile, NAC has apologised to travellers for the inconvenience and appealed for patience while they correct the defects.
Financing ALTEN Africa receives finance for solar plant in Namibia37
A
lten Africa has completed financial closure of US$50 million photovoltaic (PV) plant in Namibia,
located at Mariental in the Hardap region. With installed capacity of 45.5 MWp for an output of 37 MWac, the Solar PV plant is expected to have a lifespan of over 25 years and expected to meet 3% of the country’s energy needs. The electricity company NamPower and Namibian investors First Place, Mangrove and Talyeni are also taking part in the project. ALTEN Africa holds a 51% stake in the project's investment vehicle, ALTEN Hardap, in which NamPower also has a 19% stake, while First Place, Mangrove and Talyeni have 30%. Once it starts commercial operations, scheduled for September 2018, around 112GWh of clean electricity will be uploaded onto Namibia's national grid, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of over 70,000 Namibians. The plant will also avoid the emission into the atmosphere of 33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent, during every year of its useful life.
Page
https://africabusinesscommunities.com/news/alten-africa-completes-financing-in-namibia-of-one-of-thebiggest-solar-plants-in-sub-saharan-africa/
28
37
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Tenders
Page
29
No Tenders Available
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018 Careers
NAMPOWER38 Drill Operator (Two year contract), closing date: 06 Apr 2018 Reference: 14582 Location: Brakwater Unit/Department: Technical Section: Power Systems Construction Primary Purpose of the • The incumbent will be responsible for drilling operations as job: required for line construction projects.
The HR Officer NAMPOWER PO Box 2864 WINDHOEK
http://www.nampower.com.na
30
38
Paulina Kauna Shikongo HR Officer : Engineering Serv. 061 2052398
Page
Contact: Position: Telephone: Fax: Address:
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Energy & Sustainability (Namibia) Namibia’s #1 source for Energy & Sustainability is receiving attention from everyone these days. The concentration of our efforts in research and development yields this opportunity for you to reach your clients and professionals in a new way. Our aim is to provide facts, news and make connections with the media, investors, social networks and consumers around the world who influence Energy & Sustainability.
Changing the way that business is done! The RDJ Briefing is a monthly briefing paper
Namibia InFocus is a FACTBOOK released as
that quickly wraps up the happenings in the sectors of Energy, Transport, Water and the Environment so that you are always up-to date. The Briefing provides a space for the reader to explore a wide variety of subjects in Namibia.
an annual publication, providing the Energy & Sustainability community, investors, changemakers and academia with facts and figures.
Topics include economic indicators, tariffs, new generation projects, off-grid, funding and rural affairs.
Topics include Quick facts on Namibia, Government Policy, Oil and Gas data, Nuclear Sector updates, Energy trading, Transmission and Generation history, renewable energies such as biofuels, wind and solar, energy tariffs, new generation projects, off-grid projects, funding and the key economic sectors.
Information is Power, be informed!
Page
We are the place to go to get accurate and timely Energy & Sustainability information in Namibia.
31
RDJ Consulting focuses on meeting the Energy and Sustainability needs of the sector through consulting, advisory services, due-diligence, tendering, project screening, project development, seminars, exhibitions, and the manging of risks amongst others.
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Item RDJ Briefing (Electronic Edition) Item Namibia InFocus (Summary) (Electronic Edition) Namibia InFocus (Electronic Edition)
Cost (VAT incl.) N$ FREE (Online Publication)
Costing (N$) VAT incl FREE / per Factbook N$ 300.00 / per Factbook
The RDJ Briefing offered Free by: RDJ Consulting39, humbly requests you to forward this newsletter to your colleagues or associates who might be interested in receiving this Energy & Sustainability Country Briefing. REGISTER: If you do not currently receive this publication but desire to do so, please click on the following link SUBSCRIBE Or email:office@rdjconsulting.co.za
RDJ Consulting Services CC, PO Box 23738, Windhoek, NAMIBIA (A Namibian Registered Company)
Page
39
32
If you are a current subscriber, sorry to see you go but you can unsubscribe from this newsletter at any time by clicking here
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
EDITORIAL TEAM RESEARCHERS: Fares Shipaxu Chilombo Olga Priscila
WRITER: Fares Shipaxu Chilombo Olga Priscila
LAYOUT: Chilombo Olga Priscila
EDITOR: Chilombo Olga Priscila David Jarrett
PUBLISHER: RDJ Consulting
CONTACT: RDJ Consulting Services CC PO Box 23738 Windhoek, NAMIBIA Telephone: +264 61 400 171 Email – Office@rdjconsulting.co.za
RDJ Consulting Services CC is an advisory consultancy to the Energy, Water and Transport Sectors with a focus on sustainable operations and renewable energy.
Page
33
Visit our website www.rdjconsulting.co.za for more information.
Country Brief – NAMIBIA
March 2018
Another Year! Another Challenge!
Page
34
AHEAD