German Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Robert Habeck is in the country in pursuit for new energy resources.
The German delegation to Namibia comes less than a month after the country hosted Finnish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari, who was also leading a delegation hunting for investment opportunities in Namibia’s energy sector, with a particular focus on green hydrogen.
”Namibia has very great advantages in terms of location compared to Europe,” Habeck was quoted saying before flying out of Berlin.
Habeck, who doubles as Germany’s Vice Chancellor, is accompanied by a delegation of 24 German business leaders and signed an agreement with Mines and Energy minister Tom Alweendo on the production of green hydrogen in Namibia.
Namibia, according to its recently launched Green Hydrogen and Derivatives Strategy, aims to deliver up to 12 tonnes of Green Hydrogen annually by 2050 and to create an additional 600,000 jobs by 2040, boosting employment for the country’s 2.5 million population.
The government estimates it will need up to US$190 billion by 2040 to implement its vision of becoming Africa’s first green hydrogen producer and supplier.
According to the government’s strategic plan, the hydrogen industry could contribute up to US$6 billion to the country’s GDP.
Germany’s RWE and Hyphen Hydrogen Energy on Friday announced the signing of a memorandum that could see RWE offtake up to 300,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia, a hydrogen derivative that is particularly suitable for transport by ship.
Hyphen Hydrogen Energy is a joint venture between Germany’s Enertrag energy company and multinational investment firm Nicholas Holdings, specialising in sustainable energy in southern Africa.
The company was awarded the contract to develop a US$9.4 billion green hydrogen project in a restricted area in the country’s south. The government granted a permit to Hyphen Hydrogen Energy for 40 years, and an area of more than 4,000 square kilometres (988,421 acres) was made available.
