Namibia’s green hydrogen vision: Progress amid transition

The race to build a global Green Hydrogen (GH) economy is accelerating, and Namibia is firmly among the front-runners. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, requiring long-term vision, collaboration, and commitment. Namibia recognizes the potential of green hydrogen as a key economic enabler, and the country is committed to making the industry a success. Namibia’s commitment to GH is best expressed in the words of the President Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s in the foreword to Namibia’s National Development Plan 6:“Public sector investment in prioritised infrastructure and a surge in investment in agriculture,mining, oil, gas and green hydrogen and its derivatives will serve as a bedrock for further investment and high inclusive economic growth.”Building momentum through partnership and investmentNamibia has to date attracted more than US$1.5 billion in financial commitments across the GH value chain. This progress is significant and unprecedented for a new industry. Multiple pilot projects are under construction, developers are showing growing interest, and development partners are making follow-on investments. In March 2025, HyIron announced that its Oshivela project successfully produced Namibia’s first green steel using GH. The facility, a global first, was built with the support of more than 60 Namibian SMEs, demonstrating the sector’s ability to generate inclusive local participation and economic opportunities.Cleanergy Solutions’ GH plant in Walvis Bay followed, being inaugurated by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on 18 September 2025. It serves as a training and research hub, supporting future large-scale deployment. At the same time, the Daures Green Hydrogen Village pilot facility is in commissioning, offering training programs for Namibians while working toward an industrial-scale plant to produce low-carbon fertilizer.Together, these milestones show that Namibia’s GH sector is not a concept, but a reality taking shape on the ground.These pilot projects enable the establishment of the industry and enable the next phase of large-scale green ammonia projects to be developed. These include CMB.TECH’s ammonia terminal, Daures Green Hydrogen Village phase 2, HDF’s renewable power plant, and the green ammonia projects of HopHydro (previously Elof Hansson), Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, and zhero. Collectively, these projects aim to invest US$20 billion, create 30,000 full-time jobs during construction, and produce 2.2 million tonnes of green ammonia annually by 2030. As with any new large-scale industry, there are challenges – securing offtake agreements, financing infrastructure, and aligning regulations takes time. Yet Namibia’s steady, strategic progress demonstrates the foundations of a sustainable new industry.A global shift Worldwide, nations are accelerating decarbonisation. In 2024, solar and wind accounted for 84% of all global electricity generation capacity installed. But direct electrification alone cannot achieve decarbonisation - sectors such as steelmaking, fertilizers, shipping, and aviation are turning to GH as a viable pathway to deep emission reductions.Today, the world produces about 100 million tonnes of hydrogen annually, almost entirely from fossil fuels. In ambitious decarbonisation scenarios, consumption could rise to 500 million tonnes by 2050. Countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea have launched national strategies and support frameworks, while the major demand centers of Europe, Japan, and Korea are investing in import partnerships to secure supply and strengthen global trade. With world-class solar and wind resources, abundant land, deep-water ports, stable governance, and an ambitious young population, Namibia has the ingredients for a globally competitive GH industry at scale to meet international demand. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for sustainable economic development and industrialisation. It can power local value creation, drive industrialisation, create skilled employment, and support sustainable, inclusive growth.Charting the road aheadThe sector’s next phase depends on addressing key enablers: patient capital, regulatory clarity, and coordinated infrastructure. These are being tackled through collaboration between government, the Green Hydrogen Association of Namibia (NamGHA), and international partners. Initiatives such as the SDG Namibia One Fund—a blended-finance platform—are mobilising public and private investment across the hydrogen value chain.Two decades ago, few believed renewable energy and electric cars could rival fossil fuels. Yet the tipping point has been reached. In the first half of 2025, global renewable electricity production overtook coal for the first time, with renewables accounting for 34.3% of global electricity production, with China and India leading in coal reductions. This global shift is accelerating, with 380 GW of new solar capacity alone added in the first six months of 2025—a 67% increase year-on-year.A similar story is unfolding in electric vehicles. In China, 50% of all new cars sold in the first half of 2025 were electric, underscoring how quickly clean technologies can scale once cost and infrastructure barriers are overcome.The same combination of ingenuity, cost reductions, investment, and supportive frameworks is driving GH toward cost parity with fossil-fuel-based hydrogen within the coming decade.As with all technological shifts, there will be sceptics anchored in the technologies of the past. But technological progress is inevitable: from wood to coal, horses to cars, coal to oil, and now fossil fuels to renewables. GH is the next chapter in this evolution. Maintaining Namibia’s first-mover advantage and momentum is key. Ensuring progress is matched by public support, investor confidence, and a shared determination to translate potential into prosperity, employment, and sustainable growth.Namibia’s GH vision endures—a testament to progress, partnership, and the conviction that Africa must be part of the world’s clean energy future.*Dr Grant Muller is Chairperson of The Namibian Green Hydrogen Association (NamGHA).**

Namibia’s green hydrogen vision: Progress amid transition

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Republikein 2025-12-16

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Namibia’s green hydrogen vision: Progress amid transition

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