Located on the edge of the Kalahari Basin, the town of Rospina in the province of Karas, about an 8-hour drive from the Namibian capital of Windhoek, is surrounded by vast red sand dunes. The Rospina 100 MW solar photovoltaic power station, jointly constructed by China Jiangxi International Economic and Technological Cooperation Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Zhengtai New Energy Development Co., Ltd., is located here. The project officially started construction in December 2024 and is currently in the main installation phase. Once completed, it will be the largest renewable energy project in Namibia. After the power station is put into operation, it will significantly increase the proportion of renewable energy generation in Namibia, enhance its self-sufficiency in electricity, promote the diversification of energy structure, and provide support for its sustainable development. The desire to use stable and clean electricity is finally coming true. "At the project construction site, reporters saw construction workers orderly transferring, accurately positioning, and fixing photovoltaic modules onto brackets. Local employee Hafini closely monitored the installation process. The weather is good today, and the installation is smoother than usual. "As one of the earliest recruited drivers for the project, Hafini is responsible for driving on a daily basis, but often consults with technical personnel during breaks, silently monitoring the progress of the project. I am a native of Rochepina, "Hafini said." The people in town often see me driving in and out, and know that I am a staff member of the power station. They always ask me when this' solar field 'will be completed. Everyone hopes that the' solar field 'will light up the path of development. "Rochepina town's power supply has been unstable for a long time, and the power grid coverage is limited, often resulting in long-term power outages due to aging lines, sandstorms, or transmission and distribution failures. Power outages are a common occurrence, lasting for most of the day, affecting children's homework and clinic equipment usage at night, "said Hafini." With this photovoltaic power plant, our desire for stable and clean electricity is finally about to come true. "The power shortage crisis in Rospina town reflects the current situation of insufficient electricity supply throughout Namibia. Deng Yan, the head of China Jiangxi International Namibia Company, introduced that the country's power supply has been tight for a long time, and about 60% of its electricity needs to be imported from neighboring countries such as South Africa and Zambia. At present, more than 40% of the rural population in China still live in areas that are not connected to the main power grid. Even in areas that are already electrified, unstable power supply or power outages are common. In this context, the Namibian government is actively promoting the transformation of energy structure, clearly listing photovoltaic power generation as a key development direction, and setting a goal to increase the proportion of renewable energy in the power structure to 70% by 2030. Namibia has abundant solar thermal resources, especially in the southern region, with unique lighting conditions and an average sunshine duration of over 9 hours. The total annual solar radiation is close to 2400 kilowatt hours per square meter, indicating enormous development potential. ”Deng Yan stated that after the completion of the 100 MW solar photovoltaic power station in Rospina, the average annual power generation will exceed 300 million kilowatt hours, which can meet nearly 10% of the country's electricity demand and effectively reduce its dependence on traditional coal-fired power generation and imported electricity, reducing an average of about 250000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Good afternoon, journalist friends! Welcome to visit the site. ”On the inspection channel between the photovoltaic arrays, Lena Hilongo, the Namibian quality inspection manager of the power station, introduced the situation fluently in Chinese and was familiar with the endless photovoltaic modules behind her. The local sunshine is strong and the temperature is high, so the requirements for photovoltaic modules are also very high. We have chosen N-type monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, which have a lower temperature coefficient and lower power attenuation in high-temperature environments. Combined with a double glass structure, it has stronger resistance to wind, sand, and ultraviolet radiation, making it more suitable for the environment here. ”Xilongo said that in combination with local characteristics, the project also made targeted designs for the support system. High temperature resistant components are selected for materials, and the structure also enhances heat dissipation and wind resistance, ensuring stable operation of the power station even in strong wind and sand weather. Xilongge obtained a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Automation from Shenyang University of Chemical Technology in 2019, and is a key local backbone trained in the project. Previously, she had worked in multiple places and heard that we were coming to Namibia to build a photovoltaic power plant. Without hesitation, she submitted her resume. Hilongo has shown outstanding performance in her work, with solid professional abilities and familiarity with Chinese technical standards and management culture. She quickly moved from a technical personnel position to a quality management position. "Tan Shunan, the project manager of the power plant, said that Hilongo had expressed her hope to continue to deepen her knowledge of technology and theory in the field of new energy, and the project department supported her to pursue a master's degree in renewable energy online at the University of Namibia. Intelligent operation and maintenance is a major highlight of power stations. The chief engineer of the project, Wang Chunxian, introduced that the Chinese team is building a remote centralized monitoring system that integrates air and ground. Through a dedicated communication network and real-time linkage with the main control center, it can achieve all-weather monitoring of the operating status of all equipment. At the same time, drones are also introduced for regular automatic inspections, which can quickly identify hot spots, stains, etc. in the photovoltaic array, significantly improving operation and maintenance efficiency and safety. We are collaborating with local training institutions to conduct a series of trainings, including safety standards, operation and maintenance regulations, etc. We hope to help more local employees gradually understand and learn about artificial intelligence related technologies, and cultivate professional talents in the field of new energy for the local area, "said Wang Chunxian. Modestus Amutesai, Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia, said that the Rospina 100 MW solar photovoltaic power plant project closely combines technology transfer with capacity building. Through systematic training and on-site practice, it helps local employees master core skills such as photovoltaic construction, safety management, and operation and maintenance, and promotes the growth of a group of local engineers and technical workers. This talent cultivation model not only supports the current project, but also accumulates strength for the development of Namibia's new energy industry, which has profound significance for our country's energy transformation. "" Assisting Namibia's economic growth and sustainable development "Paulus Ngina Naminouhu, 33, is a resident of the town of Rospina. Before coming to work on the project, he had been unemployed at home for many years. Nowadays, through systematic training and practice, he has grown into a skilled worker who can independently operate equipment. Enjinanaminuhu said that in the early stages of the work, many local workers, including him, were very unfamiliar with the drawings, measuring tools, and construction processes. Chinese technical personnel started with marking and laying out, guiding them step by step to identify reference points, use tape measures and level gauges, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of precision control, and guiding them to independently review and correct errors in a timely manner after each step is completed. Especially for heavy machinery such as pile drivers, Chinese masters adhere to the principle of 'one person, one machine, full process guidance'. From equipment start-up, operation to shutdown, every step patiently explains safety regulations until we can operate independently. With the improvement of my skill level, my salary has been raised three times. My income has increased, and I plan to renovate my home in a few months to make life more comfortable for my family. ”Enjinanuhu's face showed a shy smile. Tan Shunan introduced that the project construction has directly created more than 200 job opportunities for the local area, and the number of local employees used during the peak construction period has exceeded 400. The combination of skill enhancement and employment expansion has injected vitality into the development of the town and brought tangible benefits to the local people. Since the participation of Chinese enterprises in the construction, they have always adhered to localized employment, creating a large number of job opportunities for the town, increasing residents' income, and driving economic development. ”Alex, the mayor of Rospina town, said, "What moves us even more is that Chinese enterprises not only 'teach people how to fish' in the project construction, but also donate books and learning supplies to schools in the town multiple times, and regularly provide food assistance to families in need. These concrete actions have made us feel warmth and friendship." Kahenh Horofer, the general manager of Namibia's National Power Company, said that the Rospina 100 MW solar photovoltaic power station is a key step in promoting the implementation of the national energy strategy, "which will help us achieve power supply security, support Namibia's economic growth and sustainable development. (Xinhua News Agency) (This newspaper reports from Rospina, Namibia)