Green schemes: Ministry eyes solar energy to cut costs
Currently coughing up millions every month for electricity for its green schemes, the agriculture ministry plans to turn to solar energy to reduce costs by 90%.
According to spokesperson Jona Musheko, a green scheme such as Shadikongoro in the Kavango East Region uses electricity worth N$400 000 per month, while Etunda’s bill stands at over N$800 000.
With expectations that green schemes should produce food and sustain the economy, millions are being spent on electricity, but this makes it difficult for the projects to make a profit and be self-sustainable.
Recently, the Electricity Control Board (ECB) approved an 8% increase for NamPower’s tariffs, and electricity-distributing companies have had to follow suit to remain afloat. Nored, which provides electricity to the majority of government green schemes, has proposed an 8% increase for the category under which green schemes fall.
This while the agriculture ministry has recently placed adverts in newspapers calling for consultants for the construction of solar plants at various green schemes.
Cutting costs
“The idea of installing solar panels at various green scheme sites is to reduce our current electricity bills,” Musheko explained.
“This is an intentional decision by our executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata to cut costs at the green schemes while increasing efficiency and productivity.
“Considering that Namibia is a dry country with high temperatures yet low rainfall, this requires that we do irrigation throughout the week at green schemes. This means that there is high power consumption and eventually high electricity bills. With the incorporation of solar power systems, we intend to reduce the electricity bill with at least 90% at green schemes,” he noted.
“The [electricity costs are] unsustainable and with the ever increasing electricity tariffs, interventions of this nature are needed urgently.”
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According to spokesperson Jona Musheko, a green scheme such as Shadikongoro in the Kavango East Region uses electricity worth N$400 000 per month, while Etunda’s bill stands at over N$800 000.
With expectations that green schemes should produce food and sustain the economy, millions are being spent on electricity, but this makes it difficult for the projects to make a profit and be self-sustainable.
Recently, the Electricity Control Board (ECB) approved an 8% increase for NamPower’s tariffs, and electricity-distributing companies have had to follow suit to remain afloat. Nored, which provides electricity to the majority of government green schemes, has proposed an 8% increase for the category under which green schemes fall.
This while the agriculture ministry has recently placed adverts in newspapers calling for consultants for the construction of solar plants at various green schemes.
Cutting costs
“The idea of installing solar panels at various green scheme sites is to reduce our current electricity bills,” Musheko explained.
“This is an intentional decision by our executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata to cut costs at the green schemes while increasing efficiency and productivity.
“Considering that Namibia is a dry country with high temperatures yet low rainfall, this requires that we do irrigation throughout the week at green schemes. This means that there is high power consumption and eventually high electricity bills. With the incorporation of solar power systems, we intend to reduce the electricity bill with at least 90% at green schemes,” he noted.
“The [electricity costs are] unsustainable and with the ever increasing electricity tariffs, interventions of this nature are needed urgently.”
[email protected]
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