Windlab Developments Tanzania wins ESIA certificate to build wind farm

Windlab Developments Tanzania has been awarded an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certificate to build the Miombo Hewani Wind Farm and Transmission line project in southern central Tanzania.

Miombo Hewani wind farm will have a capacity of up to 300MW and will be constructed in phases.

Under the first phase of the project, around 100MW will be constructed. It will feature up to 34 wind turbines and electrical infrastructure. This phase will be connected to national electricity grid at Makambako substations.

This is the wind farm project in the country to be issued the ESIA certificate.

ESIA is an assessment of the environmental and social consequences of a project before its commencement. To obtain the certificate, the process involves multiple independent studies by consultants, stakeholders and institutions.

The project has received approval at the Isimike, Igomba and Itengelo villages, Sasa Ward in Wangingo’mbe district, Njombe region.

Windlab Limited CEO Roger Price said: “We are very pleased to receive the first EISA for a wind farm in Tanzania. In developing Miombo Hewani, Windlab has applied the industry best practices and experience it has gained from developing more than 50 wind energy projects across North America, Australia and Southern Africa.”

Windlab Developments Tanzania project development engineer Frank Tarimo said: “Windlab and I have been working to develop the Miombo Hewani project for over 3 years; I am very happy to see that all our hard work has led to the project receiving its environmental approval and paving the way for Tanzania’s first ever wind farm. I look forward to the day when I can travel to Makambako and see the wind turbines operating”.

“The wind farm will operate for at least 25 years and generate enough power to supply nearly 1 million average Tanzanian homes.”

Windlab has secured an Energy and Environment Partnership grant from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

The company also plans to obtain further development finance investment for the wind farm construction.