Omburu Solar Power Station

{{Short description|Solar power station in Namibia}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox power station | name = Omburu Solar Power Station | name_official = | image = | image_caption = | image_alt = | coordinates = {{coord|21|29|12|S|16|01|46|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | country = Namibia | location = Omaruru, Erongo Region | status = O | construction_began = March 2021 | commissioned = June 2022 | decommissioned = | cost = US$20 million | owner = NamPower | operator = NamPower | solar_type = PV | ps_site_area = {{convert|40|ha|acre}} | ps_units_operational = | ps_units_manu_model = | ps_units_uc = | ps_units_planned = | ps_units_cancelled = | ps_units_decommissioned= | thermal_capacity = | ps_electrical_capacity = {{convert|20|MW|abbr=on}} | ps_electrical_cap_fac = | ps_annual_generation = 67.8 Gwh | website = | extra = }}

The '''Omburu Solar Power Station''', is a 20 megawatts solar power station in Namibia. The power station, which was developed and is owned by Namibia Power Corporation (Proprietary) Limited (NamPower), was constructed between March 2021 and June 2022 and was commercially commissioned on 24 June 2022. NamPower integrates the energy generated here, calculated at 67.8 GWh annually, into the Namibian grid. This is the first grid-connected PV solar power station, fully owned and operated by NamPower.<ref name="1R">{{cite web| work=Namibia Economist |url=https://economist.com.na/71363/mining-energy/20mw-omburu-solar-power-plant-inaugurated/ |title=20MW Omburu Solar Power Plant Inaugurated |date=27 June 2022 |author=Namibia Economist | access-date=28 June 2022 |location=Windhoek}}</ref><ref name="2R">{{cite web|url=https://www.afrik21.africa/en/namibia-nampower-inaugurates-its-20-mwp-omburu-solar-pv-plant/ |title=Namibia: NamPower inaugurates its 20 MWp Omburu solar PV plant | work=Afrik2.africa |date=28 June 2022 |author=Jean Marie Takouleu |access-date=28 June 2022 |location=Paris, France}}</ref>

==Location== The solar farm sits on {{convert|40|ha|acre}}, approximately {{convert|15|km|0}} southeast of the town of Omaruru, in the Erongo Region of Namibia.<ref name="3R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Omaruru+Solar+Farm,+G27J%2B2CG,+Omaruru,+Namibia/Omaruru,+Namibia/@-21.4392109,16.0240128,11.25z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x1b8a93410ce70a43:0x38216e10ac9399f!2m2!1d16.0310894!2d-21.4874404!1m5!1m1!1s0x1b8af2870c368577:0x3a9daf9c347c0c57!2m2!1d15.9523622!2d-21.4206681 |title=Road Distance Between Omaruru, Namibia And Omburu Solar Farm, Namibia |access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref> This is about {{convert|196|km|0}} northwest of Windhoek, the capital and largest city of Namibia.<ref name="4R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Omaruru+Solar+Farm,+G27J%2B2CG,+Omaruru,+Namibia/Windhoek,+Namibia/@-22.0241606,16.5511523,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x1b8a93410ce70a43:0x38216e10ac9399f!2m2!1d16.0310894!2d-21.4874404!1m5!1m1!1s0x1c0b1b5cb30c01ed:0xe4b84940cc445d3b!2m2!1d17.0657549!2d-22.5608807 |title=Road Distance Between Windhoek, Namibia And Omburu Solar Farm, Namibia |access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref> The geographical coordinates of this solar farm are: 21°29'12.0"S, 16°01'46.0"E (Latitude:-21.486667; Longitude:16.029444).<ref name="5R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/21%C2%B029'12.0%22S+16%C2%B001'46.0%22E/@-21.3063,16.3765706,85842m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x7fc0badcfc8191c4!8m2!3d-21.4866667!4d16.0294444 | title=Location of Omburu Solar Power Station |access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref>

==Ownership== The power station is 100 percent owned by NamPower, the Namibian electricity utility parastatal company.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="6R">{{cite web| url=https://neweralive.na/posts/omburu-increases-affordable-electricitynampowers-20mw-solar-power-plant-inaugurated | title=Omburu increases affordable electricity…Nampower's 20MW solar power plant inaugurated |work=New Era |date=27 June 2022 |author=Maihapa Ndjavera |access-date=28 June 2022 | location=Windhoek, Namibia}}</ref>

==Construction and cost== The construction cost is reported as NAD:317 million (approx. US$20 million). The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract was awarded to a joint venture between ''Hopsol Africa'' and ''Tulive Private Equity'', both Namibian companies based in Windhoek.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="6R"/>

==Timeline== The solar farm took 15 months to construct. Commercial commissioning was achieved on 24 June 2022.<ref name="1R"/>

==Other considerations== At the time this power station was commissioned, it was the source of the cheapest electric energy in Namibia at that time. The solar farm is part of NamPower's target to increase national generation capacity from "624 MW to 879 MW by 2025".<ref name="1R"/><ref name="6R"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.nampower.com.na/ Official Webpage of NamPower]

Category:Solar power stations in Namibia Category:Buildings and structures in Erongo Region Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 2022 Category:2022 establishments in Namibia