Hydrogen Power Plant in Namibia Expected to be Operational in 2024

French independent power producer HDF Energy is building Namibia’s first hydrogen power plant with an anticipated start date for generating energy scheduled for 2024.

Nicolas Lecomte, director of HDF Energy for Southern Africa, stated on Monday, September 12th, “Yearly we can produce 142-gigawatt hours, enough for 142,000 inhabitants, and that is conservative.”

When completed, the Swakopmund project, which costs 3.1 billion Namibian dollars, will increase the country’s access to green energy by supplying electricity to the nation continuously.

Currently, Namibia imports over a third of its energy needs from South Africa, which is just across the border.

The country, being one of the sunniest and least populous in the world, intends to use its enormous potential for solar and wind energy to produce electricity and establish the country as an African hub for renewable energy.

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If produced using renewable energy such as solar or wind, hydrogen is considered “green” energy. Though the technology is still in its infancy and is still considered expensive when compared to the alternative, it is important for the decarbonizing industry.

Electrolyzers will be powered by 85 megawatts of solar panels which will produce and store hydrogen.

Additionally, HDF Energy announced that the company is interested in developing new projects in Africa and other continents.

Lecomte told Reuters that “soon after Southern Africa, you will see HDF developing projects in East Africa.”

In an effort to lessen its reliance on Russian energy sources, the European Union also plans to sign a deal with Namibia to support the nation’s developing green hydrogen industry and increase its own imports of the fuel.

A second company, Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, registered in Namibia, is in negotiations with the country’s government to secure an implementation agreement for its intended $10 billion green hydrogen project which will generate about 350,000 tons of green hydrogen annually before 2030 for international and regional markets.