KEETMANSHOOP: The Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Willem Isaak on Wednesday launched the first-ever energy shop here to sell renewable energy products and appliances in the Karas Region.Solar panels, energy-efficient bulbs, lamps, torches and other products are available in the new energy shop.
The enterprise is run by Johnny’s Auto Electric, situated at the Total Service Station along Sam Nujoma Street in Keetmanshoop, where the launch took place.The energy shop project, which is now available in 12 regions of the country, was launched in 2007 by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, in conjunction with the Embassy of Finland, the Polytechnic of Namibia and other partners.
Speaking during the event, Isaak said the project is in line with the mandate of his ministry to promote, facilitate and regulate the responsible development and sustainable utilisation of Namibia’s energy resources.
“The ever-present food, fuel and energy crises and the issue of the trajectory of environmental degradation requires and requests ways and means of actually implementing sustainable development in a very real sense,” the deputy minister said.He encouraged Namibians to start using solar energy as the country does not produce enough power.
Isaak noted that the current electricity supply from South Africa to Namibia might stop in 2060, thus it is best for the nation to be proactive. “Our target is to establish over 180 energy shops across the country in the next 20 years. After we finish with the regions, the energy shops will be rolled out to constituencies,” he promised.Also speaking at the launch, the Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland, Antti Piispanen said the idea behind the energy shops is to bring services closer to the people, especially in the rural areas.
“Energy shops play an important role in creating awareness of different innovative solutions to energy needs that are available to households throughout the country,” Piispanen added.The last regional energy shop will be opened in Windhoek in a few weeks’ time.The first shop was launched in Mariental in the Hardap Region during June 2011, while two others were launched in the Erongo Region last week before the launch in Karas.