Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Enersense Energy Namibia (EEN) are exploring ways of working together on the Daures Green Hydrogen Village project in Namibia.
The project aims to revolutionise farming in Africa by potentially producing agricultural produce using fertilizer made from green ammonia, as well as supplying green hydrogen and green ammonia to regional and international markets.
The proposed Daures Green Hydrogen Village project’s first phase is set to launch in March this year and has received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education in collaboration with the Namibian Government.
The project currently consists of over 1MW of renewable energy and 500kW of electrolysis.
“The Daures project has the potential to generate significant economic and social benefits for the local community and for Namibia at large, creating both jobs and a more sustainable agriculture industry,” said FFI President for Africa John Ngumi after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the possibility of partnership.
The MoU gives FFI a period of exclusivity to study and perform due diligence on the project, and offers support, expert knowledge, and guidance to the Daures Green Hydrogen Village during its initial stage.
“Namibia has the chance to become a global powerhouse in the green energy value chain, with its abundant natural resources able to generate the renewable energy needed to produce large scale green hydrogen and green ammonia for export and decarbonising local industry,” added Ngumi.
Daures Green Hydrogen Village CEO Jerome Namaseb said he was very excited to work with FFI, which is one of the foremost firms in the industry.
“This MoU will explore the possibility of working together to further develop the Daures Green Hydrogen Village’s subsequent phases.”
The ambitious scheme is intended to supply a vegetable greenhouse and various agricultural research projects in partnership with the University of Namibia and University of Stuttgart.
FFI General Manager for Africa Bruh Ayele Terfie said “FFI is excited to work with this collective of young Namibians, who are driven to decarbonize the agricultural sector and create a cleaner, greener future for Namibia and for Africa”.
In December last year, the Daures Green Hydrogen Consortium struck its first offtake agreement with Zimbabwean ammonium nitrate fertilizer manufacturer, Sable Chemicals.
The non-binding agreement will see Sable Chemicals taking up to 40,000 tonnes of green ammonia, a key component in its fertilizer manufacturing process, from the Daures Green Hydrogen Village in Namibia.
