Martin Endjala
James Mnyupe, the Green Hydrogen Commissioner, has revealed that the Green Hydrogen Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Small Medium Enterprise Development and the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, has identified eight potential new industries.
This announcement was made last December during an update on the Green Hydrogen Progress, which is poised to significantly impact the Namibian economy.
Mnyupe indicated that among the eight potential new industries are solar panel and wind turbine assembly, critical raw minerals value addition, synthetic fuel production, and hot-briquette iron production.
Preliminary estimates suggest that these developments could create 26,000 jobs and add over US$1.3 billion of Gross Value Added to the economy by 2030. The proposal is set to be submitted to the Cabinet early this year.
“The Programme expresses optimism for the upcoming year, emphasizing the commitment to unlocking Namibia’s full potential,” Mnyupe stated.
Regarding ongoing pilot projects, the Commissioner reported that all three projects (Hyrail Dual-Fuel Locomotive, Daures Green Hydrogen Project, and Cleanergy Green Hydrogen Service Station) have been successfully contracted, with funding scheduled for disbursement in 2024.
Commissioning is expected in the second quarter of 2024. These projects have already created over 500 jobs, contributing to the growth of Namibia’s green economy.
Mnyupe revealed that Hyphen Hydrogen Namibia has secured funding for the 24 percent government equity stake in partnership with SDG Namibia One.
Feasibility activities are set to commence in the first quarter of 2024, with over 30 percent of the required funding already mobilized from external sources.
Strategic economic diplomacy efforts have also attracted 30 million Euros from the European Investment Bank, representing more than two-thirds of the feasibility budget.
Additionally, a letter of intent has been executed with the Maersk McKinney Moller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping to develop green maritime corridors.
This collaboration aims to establish Namibia as a preferred logistics hub on the global map, minimizing emissions through a systematic pre-feasibility study.
The second iteration of the Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship program has identified 90 deserving candidates who will be granted scholarships.
This initiative, which received more than 4,000 applications, is a good indication of its commitment to empowering the youth, with more than 180 Namibians benefiting from the scholarship program since its inception.
