Namibia and Eswatini launch online platforms to streamline distributed generation applications, improve oversight and accelerate solar integration across Sub-Saharan Africa.

In a fast-paced distributed generation (DG) landscape, where solar installations are growing faster than most utilities can track, Namibia and Eswatini have emerged as pioneers in embedded generation (EG) system registration in Sub-Saharan Africa. This past week, both countries launched their online platforms for DG (or EG) applications, a milestone that caps off a two-year journey.

The Namibian and the Eswatini Electricity Supply Industries (ESI) have long been active participants in the Policy Catalyst: Distributed Generation Window (DG Technical Support Programme), a capacity-building initiative implemented by GET.transform in partnership with Sustainable Energy Africa for electricity distribution utilities and energy regulators, with a focus on DG generation.

Until now, the DG application process in both countries has been manual. This resulted in long application approval turnaround times from utilities; and it has been difficult for energy regulators to accurately track DG penetration nationally, since no reliable, verifiable register existed.

Through the DG Technical Support Programme, both countries contributed to the development of their cutting-edge online platforms that digitise and streamline the application and approval process. These platforms give solar installers a single, centralised channel through which to register DG systems with their utilities, whilst enabling utilities to efficiently evaluate the network impact of these DG systems.

The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has committed to coordinating the platform’s development and ensuring it is fully optimised on behalf of the Namibian ESI. Several workshops have already been held to train both the regulator and participating utilities on how to use the system.

Utilities accepting and processing EG applications through the platform include NamPower, the City of Windhoek, CENORED, NORED and ErongoRED. Lüderitz, Oshakati Premier Electric and Mariental are expected to complete onboarding later this year. As regulator, the ECB will have master, “helicopter-view” access to the platform, enabling oversight of utility approvals and custodianship of EG data. The Namibian EG platform currently covers systems of up to 500 kVA, while the ECB will manage its licensing functions through a separate process.

Eswatini’s online EG application platform was launched at the Eswatini International Trade Fair, an event that showcased progress across a range of sectors. The platform facilitates the utility approval of EG systems up to 350 kVA and the regulatory licensing of systems up to 2000 kVA. The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA), custodian of the platform, exhibited at the fair, presenting the various projects it has underway to expand local generation capacity.

The Eswatini Electricity Company has also embraced the platform and have hailed it as an answer to the requests of many installers over the years, by streamlining the utility application and the regulator licensing processes. The country’s largest utility has been an active participant in the development of the platform and has been thoroughly capacitated to use the platform through several workshops and trainings.

The long-term goal is to extend the platform to all distribution and transmission entities in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region, to digitize the submission and processing of EG applications.