This Renewable Energy Policy is a sectoral document that aims to accelerate renewable energy development in Namibia by establishing a clear framework to promote the adoption and expansion of renewable energy sources. It demonstrates the Government of Namibia’s commitment to a clean, sustainable, and secure energy future while unlocking economic opportunities, stimulating investment, and fostering growth in the renewable energy sector. Furthermore, the Policy calls for a strengthened and proactive government approach that goes beyond existing renewable energy initiatives by introducing enhanced measures and support mechanisms to advance renewable energy development at an unprecedented scale in Namibia. The Policy is designed to complement the National Energy Policy and contribute to the country’s broader energy, economic, and sustainable development objectives. The overarching goal of the Policy is to facilitate universal access to modern, clean, environmentally sustainable, and affordable energy services for all Namibians. The Policy seeks to position renewable energy as a key driver of national development by contributing to energy security, improving living standards, reducing poverty, and creating opportunities for productive economic activity. It aims to ensure that access to reliable and affordable energy empowers individuals, communities, and businesses to participate more effectively in socio-economic development. In the long term, the Policy envisions Namibia becoming a regional leader in the development, deployment, and utilisation of renewable energy within Southern Africa. To achieve this overarching goal, the Policy establishes a set of strategic objectives designed to accelerate renewable energy development and strengthen its contribution to Namibia’s energy system and broader economy. These objectives include (i) expanding access to affordable electricity through renewable energy; (ii) reaffirming the Government’s commitment to renewable energy development; (iii) strengthening investor confidence and mobilising investment in the sector; (iv) establishing an enabling policy, legal, regulatory, and institutional environment; (v) accelerating sector growth and strengthening domestic value chains; (vi) promoting the active participation of Namibians in renewable energy development, investment, and employment opportunities. The Policy further identifies specific objectives to translate these strategic priorities into practical outcomes. These include (i) achieving greater energy security by harnessing Namibia’s abundant renewable energy resources; (ii) optimising the contribution of renewable energy to the national electricity mix; (iii) promoting income-generating opportunities and poverty alleviation through improved access to affordable energy services; (iv) ensuring transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in renewable energy regulation and governance. The Policy also aims to advance both grid-connected and off-grid renewable energy solutions, extend renewable energy development beyond the electricity sector, and strengthen the climate resilience and sustainability of the national energy system. In addition, it seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of energy storage technologies to support the integration and expansion of renewable energy, while ensuring that renewable energy contributes to industrial development, economic diversification, and enhanced national competitiveness. The main actions outlined in the Policy to achieve its objectives are (i) strengthen the regulatory framework for grid-connected and off-grid renewable energy projects and enforce regulations and penalties for non-compliance; (ii) develop an electricity market that enables independent power producers to sell electricity, facilitates distributed and off-grid generation, and establishes appropriate wheeling and market-access arrangements; (iii) introduce targeted financial support through a transparent subsidy framework to improve renewable electricity access for low-income and rural consumers; (iv) improve renewable-energy planning and information, establish a public information portal, and conduct grid-integration studies; (v) promote distributed generation and energy storage by adapting codes and tariffs to support their deployment; (vi) strengthen regional energy integration by cooperating with SADC to facilitate renewable electricity exports, imports where appropriate, and regional power trading; (vii) expand rural and off-grid energy access, improve programme management, support public-private partnerships, simplify licensing, and expand financing; (viii) improve energy efficiency and demand-side management by introducing renewable-energy and efficiency standards, conducting energy-use research, and raising public awareness; (ix) promote research, innovation and technical standards, particularly for rural electrification and water treatment, while ensuring compliance with technical, environmental, health and safety requirements; (x) develop renewable thermal energy and require solar water heaters in government-financed or subsidized buildings and homes; (xi) develop sustainable bioenergy and strengthen its links with employment, agriculture and manufacturing; (xii) facilitate access to land and accelerate land acquisition for renewable-energy projects through predictable procedures and appropriate benefit-sharing arrangements; and (xiii) expand access to finance by diversifying funding for public and private renewable-energy projects and addressing high financing costs and funding gaps for small-scale and rural initiatives.
纳米比亚 · 2017-07-01