The government is set to do a feasibility study for the possible production of green hydrogen in the Sperrgebiet area of the ||Kharas Region’s !Nami#Nûs Constituency.
In an interview with Nampa here on Monday, the Director of Energy in the Ministry of Mines and Energy, John Titus said Namibia is in a fortunate position as it has excellent wind and solar resources and government wants to unlock these resources for development purposes and as part of the renewable energy policy.
“These resources can be used for the generation of electricity that can be used for the production of green hydrogen. The production of electricity can boost our local generation of electricity and lessen the dependency of import from our neighbours,” he said.
Titus said the feasibility study is a platform provided by government for possible investors to express themselves on how they can utilise the available wind resource to produce green hydrogen as well as other products that investors could offer from the production of green hydrogen.
The feasibility study is expected to be completed in two years’ time. The bidding process has already opened and is expected to close on 17 September 2021, with the successful bidder to be announced in November this year.
Some of the bidders are from Germany, the United States of America, South Africa and Australia.
James Mnyupe, presidential economic advisor said the project is part of the southern corridor development initiative, a vision captured in the Harambee Prosperity Plan II under the economic advancement pillar that speaks to the creation of a green and blue economy in Namibia.
“The creation of the green and blue economy is to provide the necessary jobs, create livelihood we want for our people and create a clear path to vision 2030, the pillar also speaks to the creation of a green hydrogen and ammonia industry,” he added.
||Kharas Governor Aletha Frederick said when the project kicks off the livelihood of the local people should be improved, adding that investors should transfer skills to the locals.
“It will not do us any good if we have a project of such magnitude and our local people are just employed during the construction phase, skills transfer is a must. We really hope that this project creates needed employment for our people,” she stated.
Source: Namibia Press Agency