A major new green hydrogen development in the southern African nation is set to create 15,000 job opportunities for local residents, as Namibia aims to become the latest entrant into the green hydrogen and ammonia sector. The former German colony has long been overshadowed by more energy-rich countries such as Nigeria in African markets. However, a new era of green hydrogen and ammonia production is upon us, and Namibia hopes to become a major player not only in the African market but also in the international sector.
African Development Bank approves financing for development of new green hydrogen project in Namibia
The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved new financing to develop the latest African green hydrogen and ammonia project led by Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, Namibia’s leading green hydrogen developer.
Namibia is developing new green hydrogen and ammonia production facilities that could position the country as a leading exporter of essential green hydrogen and ammonia to several markets around the world. The $10 million loan has been sourced from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and will support the development and extensive front-end engineering design studies required for the project.
The south-west African region regularly has great potential for wind and solar power generation, making it the perfect location for Hyphen Hydrogen’s new green hydrogen and ammonia development. The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) is a fund specifically created to provide catalytic funding to unlock potential foreign investment in renewable energy development in Africa.
“This is much more than energy infrastructure,” he said. “This is a demonstration of Africa’s ability to lead the global energy transition, create quality jobs for young people, and build prosperity while protecting the planet. Namibia is showing the world that Africa is not just participating in the green economy, but defining it.” – Muno Mpotla, African Development Bank Country Manager for Namibia and Deputy Director for Southern Africa
New green hydrogen development set to bring 15,000 jobs to local residents
Hyphen Hydrogen said the new project will provide 15,000 jobs for local residents during the construction phase and a further 3,000 permanent jobs once fully operational. The first phase of the project will:
3.75 GW of renewable energy generation from solar and wind; New battery storage systems; 1.5 GW of electrolyzer capacity; Several new desalination facilities; Additional transmission lines for the generated energy; Enhanced port facilities to transport green hydrogen and ammonia to international markets;
While several countries around the world are developing new green hydrogen production facilities, such as a new hydrogen production facility in Kapolei, Hawaii, Namibia is aiming to ring in the new year with a new green hydrogen and ammonia production facility.
“The African Development Bank’s approval of this pre-investment facility demonstrates strong confidence in Hyphen’s project and Namibia’s broader ambitions to develop one of the most innovative green hydrogen projects in the world. We are deeply grateful to the African Development Bank for partnering with us in the development of this innovative project. This facility will be used to part-fund the technical design phase of the project leading to a final investment decision.” – Marco Raffinetti, CEO of Hyphen Hydrogen Energy
Development of new green hydrogen will reshape global energy markets
Namibia considers new green hydrogen facilities to be critical to its Southern Corridor development initiative. This year, other parts of the world are also developing new financing platforms to accelerate the deployment of green hydrogen production across international energy markets. Fusion Fuel has announced a new €30 million investment platform to accelerate Europe’s green hydrogen production market.
