Windhoek: The Renewable Energy Industry Association of Namibia (REIAoN) has established six task forces to address challenges in the renewable energy sector and strengthen local participation and support renewable energy industry development.

According to Namibia Press Agency,The task forces were established following an industry engagement in Windhoek on 17 September, in collaboration with JinkoSolar.

REIAoN Chairperson Paulus Mulunga, in a media statement on Wednesday, said the association wants to create an ecosystem to turn Namibia's renewable energy opportunities into economic activity.

'We need Namibian companies participating. We need skilled Namibians. We need investment. We need appropriate regulation. We need quality standards. We need financing,' he said.

Mulunga indicated that REIAoN would focus on policy and regulatory engagement, quality and standards, financing and investment, local participation and regional opportunities.

The association, he said, would further engage the right institutions on generator licensing, net metering, battery storage, electric vehicle regulation, distributed generation, mini-grids, independent power producers and grid access.

'We need to have constructive and consistent engagement with institutions such as the Electricity Control Board, NamPower, electricity distributors and the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy,' he said.

On quality standards, Mulunga said the sector's growth should be accompanied by installations to protect consumers and build confidence among financial institutions and insurers.

He said REIAoN would work to bring financial institutions, insurance companies and investors closer to the renewable energy sector.

'A renewable energy project is not successful simply because the technology works. It must also be bankable,' Mulunga said.

The association, he said, wants Namibian businesses to benefit through jobs, skills development, technology transfer and supply chain participation, stressing that Namibia should explore regional opportunities within SADC, where electricity demand is expected to grow.

The task forces will focus on PV GreenSeal and installer quality; net metering and distributed energy; independent power producers and green industries; electric mobility; government and political engagement; and suppliers and manufacturing.

The task forces will comprise industry members and stakeholders and focus on addressing sector challenges and identifying opportunities for local participation.