PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

Norwegian company building module factory in Namibia

Construction of a 1 MW module factory in Namibia began in early March, the result of a joint venture between the Norwegian module assembler SolEnergy and the Namibia-based investment firm Icon Investments.

According to Erik Sauar, managing director of two-year-old SolEnergy, the factory, which is being built in the northern commercial center of Tsumeb, should be completed by June and will produce 35 to 100 W modules under the name Power4Africa. Sales are slated to begin in August.

	©SolEnergy
Coming soon: Eastern view of a 1 MW module factory in Namibia planed for completion by June

Although Solenergy, which owns 51 percent of the venture, is currently in discussions with two cell producers – which Sauar declines to name – it is still interested in bids from other cell suppliers. The modules will probably use polycrystalline cells, although Sauar says monocrystalline cells are also possible. The factory will begin with one shift, employing 15 to 20 people, and have a production capacity of 1 MW, which Sauar says may increase to 3 MW by 2005, depending on sales. Between 20 and 30 percent of the production will be sold domestically, marketed by Icon Investments, which currently has assets in Namibian rural grid utilities. SolEnergy and Icon are working to establish fee-for-service projects there. Most of the remaining modules will be sold elsewhere in Southern Africa. »I think we will be able to export some modules back into Europe,« says Sauar, »but that would be in addition to our key markets in Southern Africa.«

The decision to build another module factory in Africa has been postponed due to delays by Morocco's national utility, Office National d'Electricite (ONE), in implementing a PV subsidy scheme and agreements with concession holders.