With international demand growing for clean maritime fuels, Namibia is set to become a green hydrogen hub for global shipping corridors.
Ian Dupont, the deputy head of mission for the European Union delegation, says there are indirect benefits to green hydrogen production in the country, one of which is the production of green ammonia.
“What hydrogen is great for is producing green ammonia, which can be a green shipping fuel. It’s not so much about making green ammonia to transport to Europe, but to establish Namibia as basically a giant fuelling station for ships going around the world,” says Dupont.
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He says projects like Cleanergy, a partnership between Namibian company ONL and Belgium’s CMB Tech, highlight this ambition.
According to Dupont, CMB Tech is one of the largest shipping firms in the world, and its interest in Namibia signals a shift towards clean maritime fuels.
“They want to go green and Namibia is ideally located to provide that solution,” says Dupont.
The plan fits neatly into a larger international push to create global green maritime corridor shipping routes where vessels can refuel with clean energy.
“There’s actually going to be a big conference in the middle of November here in Namibia that we’re organising to promote global green shipping corridors, and Namibia will be ideally located to produce those fuels and refuel ships as they go from Asia around the Cape to Europe or America,” says Dupont.
The country’s natural advantages make it uniquely competitive.
The country has abundant solar and wind energy as well as access to seawater for desalination, therefore, it can produce green hydrogen more cheaply than many rivals.
“The abundance of solar and wind power in southern Namibia is what’s allowing these really, really low electricity costs that can then produce green hydrogen cheaply,” says Dupont.
He adds that while the industry is still in its early stages, Namibia’s should see green hydrogen as a chance to leverage geography into long-term economic gains.
“Green hydrogen is like mining an infinite resource and Namibia has infinite sun, infinite seawater and a perfect position on global trade routes. Namibia can become a clean-energy pit stop for the world’s ships.”
