Orano Mining Namibia has confirmed it will source additional solar power for the Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP) under a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with InnoSun Energy Holdings. The agreement includes the establishment of a 5MW solar plant at the Trekkopje site just north-east of Arandis, from where power will be supplied to the EDP, situated some 35 km north of Swakopmund. Under the agreement, InnoSun Energy Holdings will design, construct and operate the solar plant.
Construction is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2022, and the plant is expected to be operational towards the end of 2023.
This project is expected to enable Orano to make the provision of water to the Erongo region from a green electricity source more affordable in the long-term, and contribute greatly to efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the EDP. Once commissioned, it is expected to reduce energy costs with the desalination process, and lower annual greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, which is equivalent to 9 722 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.
This project is part of the Orano group policy aiming to lower its carbon footprint and increase the share of low-carbon electricity at its operating sites worldwide.
As a result of demand outstripping installed generation capacity, Namibia is a net importer of electricity from South Africa and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
The Namibian government has committed itself to increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity production to 70% by 2030. InnoSun is the Namibian subsidiary of the French independent energy producer InnoVent. Founded in 2001, InnoVent operates in Europe and Africa. InnoVent is involved in the entire development chain, from preliminary studies to operations and maintenance, including financing. Over the past 10 years, InnoVent has expanded its activities in Africa, where the company is now present in 15 countries (Senegal, Benin, Kenya, etc.), including Namibia. In total, InnoVent has developed 600MW in France and Africa since its creation, including 300 MW wholly-owned. Created in 2012 in Windhoek, InnoSun now has 18 employees, and developed four solar farms and the first wind farm of Namibia for a total of 25 MW.