Project handover ceremony for solar plant
EIF continues to empower conservancies in Namibia
Pohamba Shifeta, the minister of environment, forestry and tourism, officiated a handover ceremony of a solar plant at the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge. The plant was funded under community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) and the Empower to Adapt (EDA) project through the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF).
Shifeta said access to modern energy services is one of the indices for the level of development worldwide.
“In developing countries such as Namibia, there is still quite a significant percentage of the population without access to energy services such as electricity, let alone the use of green energy to curb emissions,” he said.
In a press release by the EIF, Shifeta further said the increased use of renewable energy such as the solar plant being handed over will not only cushion the population from the adverse effects of climate change, but also act as a catalyst for enhancing socio-economic development in rural areas.
“I have been assured that certain mechanisms have been put in place that will ensure that a revolving fund is established, which will support community projects and livelihood options in this conservancy.
Situated in the Otamanzi constituency, the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge was funded N$5 191 468 under the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation investment window under the EDA project.
The project centered around creating climate change-resilient livelihoods through the CBNRM-EDA project.
The lodge covers 506 600 hectares and the project size is one hectare. The project activities entail the establishment of a solar power plant with a minimum capacity of 150 kilowatts to provide power for the lodge.
The concept further embeds a local level fund ringfenced for other climate change adaptation options. The project design is centered around the construction of the solar plant at Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge and climate change awareness and capacity-building for the conservancy management committees. The plant - with a total of 216 panels with an output of 150 kilowatts - has been developed at the lodge and has to date benefitted a total of 3 551 people and created 17 jobs during its development. The project further trained 10 youths on solar plant operation, maintenance and administration. In a press release, EIF said the 150 kilowatts will greatly empower the conservancy in their contribution to the tourism business and enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.
Shifeta said access to modern energy services is one of the indices for the level of development worldwide.
“In developing countries such as Namibia, there is still quite a significant percentage of the population without access to energy services such as electricity, let alone the use of green energy to curb emissions,” he said.
In a press release by the EIF, Shifeta further said the increased use of renewable energy such as the solar plant being handed over will not only cushion the population from the adverse effects of climate change, but also act as a catalyst for enhancing socio-economic development in rural areas.
“I have been assured that certain mechanisms have been put in place that will ensure that a revolving fund is established, which will support community projects and livelihood options in this conservancy.
Situated in the Otamanzi constituency, the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge was funded N$5 191 468 under the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation investment window under the EDA project.
The project centered around creating climate change-resilient livelihoods through the CBNRM-EDA project.
The lodge covers 506 600 hectares and the project size is one hectare. The project activities entail the establishment of a solar power plant with a minimum capacity of 150 kilowatts to provide power for the lodge.
The concept further embeds a local level fund ringfenced for other climate change adaptation options. The project design is centered around the construction of the solar plant at Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Lodge and climate change awareness and capacity-building for the conservancy management committees. The plant - with a total of 216 panels with an output of 150 kilowatts - has been developed at the lodge and has to date benefitted a total of 3 551 people and created 17 jobs during its development. The project further trained 10 youths on solar plant operation, maintenance and administration. In a press release, EIF said the 150 kilowatts will greatly empower the conservancy in their contribution to the tourism business and enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.
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