Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Kornelia Shilunga, says Namibia has now arrived at a point where it has to decide if it will be part of the green energy solution.
Speaking at the first Namibia Green Hydrogen Conference in Windhoek on Wednesday, Shilunga said the green energy revolution is sweeping across the world and will see cleaner forms of energy replacing fossil fuels.
“We must all harness the power of natural resources to the fullest extent possible for this energy transition. Green hydrogen is produced through renewable sources such as the wind and sun and holds a significant massive promise in meeting the world’s future demands,” she said.
The deputy minister added that Namibia has massive land, solar and geographical position advantages, strong wind sources, stability and good international relations and trade, which gives it a competitive edge.
This will enable the country to be at the forefront of green hydrogen development and progress towards greater energy independence.
“Green hydrogen for Namibia marks a new beginning as we need to create jobs, assets and capacity in terms of human capital and skills transfer. We also need to have good policies and markets for our products, as well as continuous research and development. To achieve all this, we need proper infrastructure, sound financing systems and investment opportunities,” Shilunga said, adding that every Namibian has a role to play in the green hydrogen industry.
She called on stakeholders to speak the same language in terms of policies, technology, incentives and capital to make the green hydrogen vision a reality.
Also speaking at the event was German Ambassador to Namibia, Herbert Beck, who said the war between Russia and Ukraine has put pressure on the need for alternative sources of energy.
“Green hydrogen is a necessity as we are polluting the world in a way that we cannot continue in that trajectory. In Paris, we agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. We are now at a stage where we have to decarbonise our industries in many respects,” he said.
He said Germany, as the third largest world economy, will play a leading role in ensuring green hydrogen technology and production with the help of Namibia.
Green hydrogen has the potential to provide clean energy for transportation, manufacturing and more, and refers to hydrogen fuel which is created using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
The conference saw global experts in renewable energy amongst others discuss the economics of green hydrogen, green hydrogen markets and Namibia’s market preparedness, foreign direct investment and public-private collaboration.
The two-day event was organised by the Economic Association of Namibia in partnership with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
