The Daures Green Hydrogen Village is now at 80% complete and is expected to start producing green hydrogen, ammonia and green tomatoes as of July, the Namibia Green Hydrogen Council Chairperson, Obeth Kandjoze, said.
“This project is expected to generate an annual output of up to 100 tonnes of green ammonia and more than 400 tonnes of green tomatoes during its pilot phase. Furthermore, Daures will be able to manufacture and export up to 700,000 tonnes of green ammonia by 2030, as it reaches the fourth phase,” he said.
Daures is among the four Green Hydrogen projects being carried out in Namibia, and with this progress it is likely to be the first to begin full scale operations.
According to Kandjoze, as of November 2023, the project has reportedly employed more than 200 Namibians from more than 30 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“The majority of which are located in the surrounding communities. This is important as over 80% of the residents survive under US$1 per day,” he said.
Kandjoze made these revelations on Tuesday at the Green Hydrogen Symposium which ends tomorrow, indicating that the €40 million Joint Communique of Intent (JCoI) agreement, which resulted in commissioning Green Hydrogen pilot projects mainly in the Erongo Region, has created about 300 jobs.
In addition to this, Kandjoze said, Namibia, through the Hyrail Namibia Green Hydrogen Dual Fuel Locomotive pilot project, will this year begin with the dual conversion of the locomotive engines to use GH and Diesel, and this is expected to be commissioned mid-2025.
The project is spearheaded by TransNamib, Hyphen Technical and CMB Tech, including the University of Namibia (UNAM) as an academic partner, he said.
“Through the JCoI about N$100 million has been allocated to the awarding of scholarships to 183 individuals for necessary upskilling to capitalise on emerging green hydrogen-related opportunities. Namibia developed a Green Hydrogen Strategy in which it aspires to be a global player in the renewable sector, leveraging from the abundance of wind and solar,” said Kandjoze.
“At this stage, it’s safe to say our harvest baskets are overflowing. This account is testimony of our collective efforts, stemming from the objectives of the Joint Communique of Intent (JCoI) agreement signed in August 2021, have undoubtedly been met and exceeded. Hundreds of scholarships have been awarded, hundreds of green jobs created, a national strategy has been developed and is under execution. And in just a few months from today, Namibia will produce its first green hydrogen and green ammonia.”
With regards to Cleanergy Hydrogen Facility and Academy, which has been undertaken by shipping giant CMB TECH and Ohlthaver & List Group (O&L) will have its first green hydrogen production in the third quarter of this year, operating from a 5MW solar park spanning 10 hectares.
The site is further accompanied by a hydrogen production facility equipped with a 4MW Electrolyser and 5MWh battery, and has provided about 100 jobs.
“The project aims to establish a one-of-a-kind hydrogen facility that directly harnesses self-generated solar energy to produce hydrogen, which is then publicly available at a refueling station. Furthermore, in-house fleet and trucks will be converted to dual-fuel technology, utilising locally produced hydrogen,” further stated Kandjoze, adding that “the Erongo valley will be elevated to the status of a global hydrogen hub in the subsequent project phases, courtesy of Giga-scale hydrogen production and bulk ammonia terminals on land that has already been identified.”
The Symposium, organised by Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), aims to showcase progress and results in Green Hydrogen Pilot Projects, Insights into ongoing capacity building initiatives under the Youth for Green Hydrogen scholarship programme.
As well as engage with research institutions, industry players, and government representatives from Namibia and Germany, while also exploring future collaboration opportunities for sustainable Green Hydrogen initiatives.
The JCoI agreement was entered between the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Namibia, with SASSCAL as the implementing agency.
