Elmarie Cilliers

Staff at the WesBank branches in Windhoek and Walvis Bay, supported by any FNB branch throughout Namibia, are ready to assist with applications to invest in alternative energy solutions.
Fears of crippling power cuts in Namibia set in after South Africa’s power utility Eskom’s announcement in January that it would halt its power exports to Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe after not meeting the growing demand in South Africa.Nampower warned of forced load shedding and time-of-use tariffs for electricity usage at peak times, urging Namibians to save up to 20 percent of their electricity usage whether they are private households, municipalities or large consumers like mining companies.
Load-shedding is carried out when electricity to some customers or areas is cut for several hours in order to satisfy peak demands in other areas. In Namibia this will be done in synchronisation with Eskom.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba also lend his voice to the call to turn to renewable energies, encouraging Namibians to make use of solar power technology to provide sustainable power for homes, schools and businesses.
According to Mr Harald Schütt of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Institute at the Polytechnic of Namibia, going the renewable route will be of huge benefit to Namibia, making the country’s economy more robust and less vulnerable to international turmoil.
Currently world industries use in one year as much fossil fuel as Mother Earth has been able to produce in 1 million years. “Since these fossil fuels are becoming more and more scarce and expensive to mine, the demand are exceeding supply which in return leads to rising prices determined and decided by the big players on the world level.”
Schütt is of the positive opinion that every household in Namibia can reduce their electricity consumption by 50% or more. The first and easiest way is to convert all old light bulbs into Energy Saving bulbs, while electrical water heaters are replaced by a Solar Water Heater.