Mitigation Action Facility Donors – the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) – have approved funding to support the implementation of an ambitious project in Namibia as part of the Ambition Initiative – Round Two.
The project “Namibia Biomass” is designed to support the overall goal of decarbonising the energy sector in Namibia, that is highly dependent on fossil-fuel based electricity imports from its neighbouring countries. Therefore, the project wants to demonstrate the potential of the bush for electricity generation at a large scale by supporting the national power utility NamPower in constructing and operating a 40 MW Otjikoto Biomass Power Station (OBPS). At the same time, technical assistance is aiming at the establishment of a sustainable local biomass supply chain using invasive bush in line with socio-economic and environmental best practices to boost the local economy.
Following the approval for a Detailed Preparation Phase (DPP)*, during which projects work to further elaborate the proposed project concept, a comprehensive Project Proposal was submitted to the Mitigation Action Facility. As the first project in the Mitigation Action Facility’s portfolio, this project succeeded in submitting the proposal even without a DPP. Based on an in-depth assessment of the Proposal, Donors then approved the project to enter the Implementation Phase 1.
The Mitigation Action Facility’s support for this project illustrates the Board’s continued commitment to ambitious climate action.
*If you want to understand more about this project phase, check our publication in the Knowledge & Learning Hub on what it takes to craft a detailed project proposal.