B2Gold Namibia and NamPower have launched the first solar wheeling project at Maxwell Farm south of Otjiwarongo, aimed at redefining how clean power is generated, distributed, and utilised.

B2 Gold Namibia country manager, John Roos, says the project reaffirms the mine's commitment to sustainability and energy innovation that ensures renewable power in supporting Namibia's energy security, reducing carbon emissions, and empowering local communities.

The project is valued at over N$200 million.

"The journey that we've been on, which I will talk about just now in terms of our green energy transition, has been remarkable in Namibia. starting off running 100% on diesel and achieving our 2014/2015 goal of kicking off a strategy and path, where we built our own solar plants commissioned in 2018, and then we linked up with NamPower to our grid, and then we saw further ways of how we can bring more green energy into our lives, and this is where SPS came."

The clean energy generated will be wheeled about 13 kilometres across the grid to the Otjikoto gold mine.

Sustainable Power Solutions cofounder Francois Van Themaat thanked the government and all key role players who enabled the project to be fully set up.

"Namibia is leading the charge in Africa on opening up the grids, making them more accessible, and driving costs. You know, over time, hopefully, it will draw from more competition on the grid, and although challenging, sometimes one has to say that without them and without the forward-thinking approach, you know, none of this would have been possible, so someone has to recognise that. a really good project to work on, and although we were commissioned in April, it's the first time they've really paused and just recognised it and said, 'Listen, well done to all of us.'"

The wheeling method allows a solar plant to be built at one location but deliver its energy to a consumer at a different location through the NamPower grid. 

It is different from traditional models where the plant is connected directly behind the customer's meter or where energy is only sold to the national utility.