Namibia seeks to regulate fast-growing distributed solar market

Namibia is facing regulatory challenges as its distributed rooftop solar market expands faster than official oversight can track. Many household and business installations remain unrecorded by the national electricity regulator, complicating the management of energy flows and grid stability.

To address these gaps, the Renewable Energy Industry Association of Namibia (REIAoN) has established six working groups. Two of these groups are specifically dedicated to distributed solar: one aims to strengthen professional installation standards and technical skills, while the other focuses on developing net metering mechanisms. Net metering would allow consumers to offset their electricity bills by feeding excess power back into the public grid.

Other working groups will address independent power producers, green industries, electric mobility, policy engagement, and local manufacturing. REIAoN President Paulus Mulunga emphasized the importance of developing a local value chain—including maintenance, component manufacturing, and digital monitoring services—to ensure the country benefits from its renewable resources rather than relying solely on foreign equipment suppliers.