Namibia energy storage power station frequency regulation benefits

Legally, Namibia's energy policies are clear about advancing national electrification efforts. In practice, however, numerous barriers continue to exist, which prevent a more pronounced roll-out of electrification projects.

In the past, Namibia opted for a model whereby the Government, through the MME (as the country's overall custodian of energy) budget allocations, in collaboration with NamPower, the REDs and select local government entities, delivered such services as and when funding was available.

According to the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey of 2015/16, the country has a national electrification rate of approximately 45%. This means that more than half of Namibia's population does not reap the benefits of having access to electrical energy.

According to the Scoping Study – Towards a 50% Electrification Rate in Namibia of 2017, the country has a national electrification rate of approximately 45%, with a rate of 19% in rural areas and 71% in urban areas.

Many of Namibia's un-electrified areas are far away from the grid and are characterised by low population densities and/or highly dispersed settlements. Often, it is neither technically nor economically justifiable to provide access to electricity by way of a grid connection.

An overview of Namibia's electricity industry structure is provided in Annexure B. The MME has the primary responsibility to implement the National Electrification Policy. It is the institutional anchor that coordinates all matters relating to national electrification. Where appropriate, the MME delegates activities to other entities.