Namibia has sent a high-level team to China this week as part of efforts to grow its renewable energy sector and support green industrial development.
The visit to China is funded by the Global Wind Energy Council, an international body that represents more than 1 500 companies in over 80 countries.
The delegation was led by the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme in partnership with the Global Wind Energy Council.
Includes officials from NamPower, the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia, as well as the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy. The team is visiting Beijing and Shanghai, where they are meeting companies and experts in renewable energy.
Their focus is on wind power, solar energy, battery storage, fuel cells and the development of clean industrial parks. The visit comes as Namibia pushes to reduce its dependence on imported electricity and build its own energy supply. The country also wants to grow into an exporter of green energy in the future. One of the key meetings was with Goldwind, a major wind turbine company.
Namibia is already working with the company on a planned 44-megawatt wind farm near Lüderitz in the //Kharas region.
The turbines for the project will come from Goldwind. The delegation is also holding talks with other companies, including Envision Energy, GoodWe, Haitai Solar, Hygreen Energy and Mingyang Smart Energy.
These companies are involved in renewable energy technology and manufacturing. The programme includes a visit to the Beijing Future Science City Exhibition Centre, where Namibia’s team is learning how renewable energy can be linked with industrial development. Joseph Mukendwa, interim head of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme, said the visit is intended to provide Namibia with practical ideas for building large-scale renewable energy systems. “These engagements are important for Namibia as we look at ways to connect energy projects with industry, grow the economy and create jobs,” he said.
He added that Namibia can learn from China’s experience in expanding renewable energy and building strong industrial systems around it.
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