By Ndishiilange Ndjoba
Namibia stands at a crossroads of opportunity. Blessed with some of the world’s most abundant renewable energy resources, the country has the potential to redefine Africa’s energy landscape.
Yet, even as global sustainability efforts accelerate amid political headwinds and economic tides, there remains a critical gap in how renewable energy is perceived and implemented—not just in Namibia, but across the continent.
Too often, the focus narrows to solar photovoltaics (PV) alone, overlooking the complementary role of wind and storage in building a resilient, and diversified grid.
Consider this: Namibia’s wind resources rank among the planet’s finest, second only to Chile in South America. Yet, while Germany—a nation with far inferior wind conditions—boasts an estimated 30,000 operational wind turbines, Namibia has only three.
This disparity reveals a clear opportunity that Namibia can no longer afford to ignore. Solar energy dominates daytime production, but wind can seamlessly take over at night, especially in regions like Namibia’s coastal and southern areas, where consistent gusts are the norm. Pairing these resources with battery storage creates a trifecta: sun by day, wind by night and stored energy to bridge gaps.
This approach not only addresses renewable energy’s intermittency but also unlocks baseload reliability thus firming up energy supply—a necessity for economic growth and energy security.
A case in point is the Green Baseload Africa (GBA) project near the Sperrgebiet National Park. Here, a 6MW hybrid plant targeting the MSB, combines 11.67MWp of solar PV, 19.2MW of wind capacity (using specialised baseload optimised wind turbine generators), and 60MWh of battery energy storage system (BESS).
What makes this initiative noteworthy is not just its technical design, but its groundwork: a secured 30-year land lease, bankable wind data validated over three years, and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) currently underway.
Such projects exemplify how Namibia can leverage its natural endowments to move beyond piecemeal solar solutions and toward integrated systems that prioritise grid stability and affordability.
The broader lesson is clear. Renewable energy cannot be siloed into a single technology. This imperative is reinforced by policy frameworks like Namibia’s National Integrated Resource Plan (NIRP), published in October 2022, and SWAPO’s Manifesto Implementation Plan (SMIP), 2025 – 2030 which explicitly advocates for diversified, integrated energy systems (i.e. solar, wind and BESS).
Namibia’s path to energy independence—and its ability to export surplus power—hinges on diversifying its dispatchable and renewable portfolio. Hybrid plants that blend solar, wind and storage offer a blueprint for other nations grappling with similar challenges.
For Namibia, the stakes are particularly high. With vast untapped resources and a pressing need to reduce reliance on imported electricity, the country has a unique chance to lead by example.
Critically, the transition to green baseload energy is not merely a technical endeavour. It demands rethinking the implementation of policy frameworks, fostering local expertise and ensuring community buy-in.
Projects like GBA’s initiative near the Sperrgebiet, which emphasises local procurement and long-term environmental stewardship, highlight the importance of balancing innovation with inclusivity. Investments in local manufacturing—such as Windwise Turbines Namibia’s efforts to establish a domestic wind turbine industry— could further amplify these benefits.
By partnering with Windwise, GBA aims to catalyse skilled employment opportunities for Namibians, reduce dependence on costly imports, and foster Namibia’s technological independence in particular and Africa’s in general. Such initiatives not only anchor renewable energy infrastructure in our local economy but also position Namibia to become a hub for African supply chains by leveraging its existing logistics hub of southern Africa prowess.
As Africa’s (and the globe’s) energy demands rise, Namibia’s renewable riches position it not just as a participant in the energy transition, but as a potential trailblazer.
The question is whether key stakeholders— government, investors, communities and the electricity supply industry as a whole— will seize this moment to look beyond solar panels and embrace a more holistic vision of sustainability. Just like our shining sun, the wind is already blowing-and will continue to blow for generations to come.
* Ndishiilange Ndjoba is an Infrastructure Entrepreneur and founder of a number of businesses under TeSik Group. He served as a Partner at WCE Consulting Engineers, before entering the renewable energy sector. He is a GBA Co-founder, Director and interim Chief Executive Officer.
