EU cements interest in Erongo’s green hydrogen plans

The European Union’s energy commissioner says the union is committed to fostering Namibia’s leadership in the global green hydrogen economy.

Following the Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek last week, European Union (EU) energy commissioner Kadri Simson, together with Namibia’s green hydrogen commissioner James Mnyupe, visited key green hydrogen projects in the Erongo region this past weekend.

The visit further cemented the partnership between Namibia and the EU to establish a sustainable green energy future.

The tour featured stops at Cleanergy Solutions near Walvis Bay, HyIron near Arandis, HDF Energy near Swakopmund and Namport.

This visit also comes on the heels of the EU’s announcement of four new Team Europe initiatives, collectively valued at approximately N$730 million, during the summit.

Of this, nearly N$500 million has been earmarked for developing Namibia’s entire hydrogen value chain.

“Namibia has vast wind and solar resources, the right policies and visionary leaders,” Simson said over the weekend.

“The EU is committed to fostering Namibia’s leadership in the global green hydrogen economy,” he said.

HyIron aims to decarbonise the steel industry by using green hydrogen to produce direct reduced iron from local iron ore.

The company is constructing a 25-hectare, 25-megawatt solar plant to support the process.

“We are currently developing the world’s first large-scale green iron refinery plant. We already have over 16.8 megawatts of solar installed, and the team working on site consists of Namibians from across the country,” HyIron project engineer Kelvine Amukwaya said.

The delegation also visited Cleanergy Solutions Namibia’s green hydrogen production hub near Dune 7.

This facility includes a refuelling station and a training centre.

“The centre will ensure Namibia builds a skilled workforce to support this new industry,” said Mnyupe.

HDF Energy’s Renewstable Swakopmund project demonstrated the integration of hydrogen production, storage and distribution.

With a N$4.5 billion investment, this project aims to provide consistent clean energy for Namibia. Off-take agreements with NamPower are underway.

The visit concluded at Namport, where preparations are underway for constructing a bulk ammonia terminal.

This terminal is set to begin construction in early 2025, according to Namport executive engineer Elzevir Gelderbloem.

“As the port authority, Namport has the responsibility to ensure the export of green molecules such as hydrogen and ammonia,” she said.

“We have been in discussions with European port authorities, including the Port of Rotterdam, to form green corridors to Europe. Our plans are in place, and we are ready to accommodate the industry’s needs.”

In 2022, the Namibia and the EU formalised their partnership through the Strategic Partnership on Green Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials.