O&L Nexentury, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group (O&L) plans to construct a 100 megawatts solar plant to be located outside Windhoek at a cost of more than N$1 billion.
The mega project which has already obtained a power generation and export license from the Electricity Control Board (ECB), will be financed through a mix of debt and equity.Â
“Our aim is to not only export the electricity produced by this plant but also supply interested energy users within Namibia. These can be industrial companies, mines, Nampower, Regional Electricity Distributors and others,†O&L Nexentury Managing Director, Bernd Walbaum told The Brief.
The first phase of the project is expected to be operational by the middle of 2024.Â
“A part of the produced electricity will be exported to the Southern African Power Pool that provides sustainable energy for the SADC region and beyond,†Walbaum said.
This comes as the company’s German unit, O&L Nexentury GmbH is in the process of constructing a solar park on the gravel lake of Philipp & Co KG in Bad Schönborn through an approximately N$350 million investment.
O&L Nexentury GmbH was granted the necessary construction permit in February 2023, valid for 25 years.
In May the O&L subsidiary was granted an advanced water management permit to construct and operate Germany’s largest floating solar photovoltaic (PV) park, which will consist of over 27,000PV panels and cover more than eight hectares of water surface area.
O&L Europe (fellow O&L subsidiary) and Phillip & Co KG are the co-investors of the solar project and about 70% of Phillip & Co KG’s energy needs will be supplied by this solar park, with the remaining energy going into the local power grid.
O&L’s foray into the renewable space also comes after its disinvestment in Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) and its foray into the green hydrogen space through a partnership with Belgium-based partner, CMB.TECH to create Cleanergy Solutions Namibia (Cleanergy).
Cleanergy was awarded a grant to set up a Hydrogen pilot plant and refueling station on the coast of Namibia.
