The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has started holding consultations with stakeholders in the energy sector in order to inform content for the development of Energy Storage Regulations for Namibia.The first workshop on the subject was held in Windhoek on 31 March, with discussion centering on the Draft Assessment Report on Regulating Energy Storage.
Energy Storage Technologies convert energy into a form that can be stored andsubsequently converted into useful energy as and when required. The energy can bestored in any form, including as electrical energy, thermal energy and gravitationalpotential energy.
The intermittent nature of renewable energy resources prevents the larger uptake ofrenewables in Namibia. Energy Storage thus presents a great opportunity for power to becaptured when it is available and released on demand. It is widely believed that cost-effective Energy Storage canpotentially unlock the limitation of using intermittent renewable generation which willcreate additional avenues for the integration of intermittent generation sources into thegeneration mix.
The ECB expects the consultations with energy stakeholders to be finalised by the end of October 2021, with Ministerial endorsement of the Energy Storage Regulations earmarked for November. The regulations are then expected to be promulgated early in 2022.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Foibe Namene noted that Namibia has experienced a renewable energy revolution over the past few years, with more developments in the sector envisaged to follow soon.
“We all know the challenges posed by the intermittence of renewable energy resources. Energy Storage thus becomes a very crucial intervention,” she said, adding that Energy Storage is expected to play a significant role in the successful integration of renewable energy into the national grid in the foreseeable future.
Namene noted that Energy Storage costs were expected to decline over the next few years therefore making the technology more viable.
Energy Storage developments offer a vital solution for the security of renewable energy supply. However, one of the key challenges regarding renewable power generation concerns reliability of supply, in which natural disruptions, such as drought or lack of wind, are known to cause supply disruptions. The utilization of Energy Storage technologies, therefore, presents an opportunity for capturing and storing energy that can be released to meet demand on an as-needed basis. Energy Storage provides a continuous flow of clean energy during periods of high demand or when renewable energy is unavailable.
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