The Namibian government has given an approval of the environment for a 3 GW solar farm. The energy generated is set to be used for green hydrogen and green ammonia production.
NamibiaThe Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has granted an environmental statement (ECC) for a 3 GW solar project.
The certification has been awarded to developer Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay (PTY) Ltd. The company has also submitted a generation of license application to Namibia’s Electricity Control Board, looking for approval to operate the 3 GW Sonne installation in addition to a corresponding 3500 MWh battery storage.
De Zonnefabriek is part of the wider Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay (ZMWB) project that according to an environmental and social management plan (ESMP), published earlier this year, will include three areas in Walvis Bay, the second largest city in Namibia.
The solar farm will be built on approximately 5,300 hectares of agricultural land. Once operational, the renewable energy will provide Green hydrogen and green ammonia production in the Erongo region of Midwestern Namibia.
A second part of the ZMWB project will be the Electrolyzers, desalination and ammonia synthesis requires, in addition to the storage system of the battery energy, while ammonia storage and port facilities are located in a third project area in Walvis Bay.
The ECC of the Ministry comprises the construction and operation of the Sun Factory and the Storage System, as well as the construction of Onderstations, access roads and approximately 110 kilometers of overhead transmission lines that connect the Sun Factory with the hydrogen and ammonia cantier.
“The Solar PV site is strategically located in a semi-desert area with high solar radiation and minimal biodiversity and is close to important cities such as Walvis Bay, the largest port in the country,” says the ESMP. “The project will contribute to regional and national economic growth by creating jobs and promoting socio-economic development.”
The ESMP’s conclusion favors the ECC for the project. The plan also advises the Ministry to carry out periodic environmental inspections “to guarantee the continuous compliance with the circumstances that have been set out in the ECC, to follow the effectiveness of mitigation measures and to support the long-term environmental age of the project.”
The 3 GW Sonne site is the largest in Development in Namibia. According to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irnea), the cumulative solar capacity of Namibia was 163 MW at the end of last year, the same figure reported the year before.
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