Standard Bank drivesd decentralised energy
Standard Bank Namibia this morning convened key business clients, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms, renewable energy partners, and industry stakeholders for its Breakfast Connect Session. The engagement introduced clients to the bank’s vehicle and asset finance (VAF) solar financing offering, designed to support businesses seeking clean, reliable, and cost-stable energy solutions.
At the event, Hellen Amupolo, Standard Bank head of business and commercial banking, said that renewable energy has shifted from a long-term aspiration to an immediate economic priority for Namibian enterprises.
She said that financing plays a pivotal role in enabling the transition toward sustainability. “This breakfast is more than just a gathering; it is a platform for collaboration, dialogue, and action. Financing is the bridge between vision and reality, enabling projects that power businesses, strengthen infrastructure, and support national sustainability efforts,” Amupolo said.
Standard Bank group market development lead and asset finance specialist, Oliver Jugadasen, said Namibia’s energy environment is undergoing a structural shift. “The energy market is shifting toward decentralised generation, driven by rising utility costs, reliability concerns, and the global move toward cleaner electricity. For Namibia, this is not only an environmental conversation but an economic one,” he said.
Jugadasen said that technological advancements and falling solar panel prices have strengthened the financial case for distributed energy investment. However, he said that true value begins with a clear understanding of a business’s energy profile.
“For customers, the objective is not simply installing solar equipment. It starts with understanding energy demand. Oversizing installations increases capital costs unnecessarily, while right-sizing ensures optimal savings and predictable cash flow,” he said.
He said that well-structured financing solutions can deliver immediate benefits. “A financed system that produces electricity at a lower effective tariff than grid supply allows a customer to reduce operating expenses from the first year,” Jugadasen said.
He said that while battery storage remains a cost consideration, the business case is clear when compared to the operational costs of diesel generation and the financial impact of downtime. “When compared to the operational cost of diesel generators and the financial impact of downtime, storage becomes a resilience investment,” he said.
Jugadasen said the bank offers various financing pathways, including on-balance-sheet asset finance for customer-owned systems with terms of up to ten years, and project financing for power purchase agreements (PPAs).
“The bank finances the project following due diligence on contract stability, financial forecasts, and operational risk. This model enables large-scale generation without requiring the end user to carry capital expenditure on their balance sheet,” he said.
