Namibia has selected four green hydrogen pilot projects to benefit from 30.5 million U.S. dollars in German government funding to boost hydrogen production as well as decarbonize the transport sector, Hydrogen Commissioner James Mnyupe said Tuesday.
Namibia last year signed a joint communication of intent with the German government unlocking about 41 million U.S. dollars, with 30.5 million U.S. dollars earmarked to build green hydrogen pilot projects in Namibia in return for a future cheap supply of the fuel.
All four pilot projects will be located in the country’s coastal town of Walvis Bay. They consist of an agriculture project, a hydrogen refueling station, decarbonizing various port facilities, and a hydrogen-powered train service.
The agriculture project is expected to realize the production of green hydrogen and ammonia and utilization of its derivatives, including sustainable production of green hydrogen based on renewable energies as well as establishing a green scheme for ammonia nitrate crops, Mnyupe told reporters at a green hydrogen conference in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
The hydrogen refueling station project will consist of a 5 MW photovoltaic solar system as well as a 5 MW electrolyzer and a hydrogen refueling station.
The purpose of the plant is to test technologies, develop offtake applications within the transport and mining sector as well as port activities and facilitate technology transfer and skills development in Namibia.
The plant will be completed and start operation in 2023, Mnyupe said.
The decarbonizing project includes converting an existing tugboat to operate on hydrogen fuel technology, which will be a first of its kind in Africa.
For the fourth project, the state rail company TransNamib will convert two locomotives to use hydrogen as fuel by repowering locomotives with new rail engines that are hydrogen-ready. Enditem
