The Daures Green Hydrogen Village, aimed at producing green hydrogen and ammonia, has its sights set on producing nearly a third of Namibia’s fertiliser during its first phase, according to Jerome Namaseb, the project’s CEO.
Construction of phase one is currently 66% complete.
During a recent site visit, Namaseb provided an update on the project’s progress, highlighting the significance of ammonia in the fertiliser industry. “85% of ammonia in today’s market is used for fertiliser,” he stated.
While ammonia production is not currently part of the project’s construction phase, Namaseb emphasised it remains a crucial goal.
“Producing ammonia is something we are working towards, but at this present time, it is not in construction,” he explained. “It was not included in the current funding we received, so we are in the process of sourcing additional funding to facilitate the production of ammonia sulfate fertiliser.”
Despite the absence of ammonia production in the initial phase, Namaseb remains optimistic about the project’s potential impact on Namibia’s fertiliser needs.
“On this current pilot construction, we could produce over 30% of the Namibian annual consumption of fertiliser,” he asserted.
The Daures Green Hydrogen Village project was initiated with a grant of N$220 million from the German government. It is being implemented in phases, with the first phase focusing on research and development, while phases two, three, and four will scale up production for international markets.
While ammonia fertiliser production is envisioned to begin in the second half of phase one, starting from June 2024 to 2027, it is during phase two that ammonia fertiliser will be exported to international markets.
The project is expected to produce 18 tonnes of green hydrogen and 100 tonnes of green ammonia per year.
“This is a pilot phase which is used for research students from the University of Namibia and the Germany’s University of Stuttgart,” Namaseb explained.
During this phase, 0.88MW of solar and 0.1MW of wind energy is produced annually on a 300-hectare site. Green hydrogen is produced through the process of electrolysis, which involves splitting water molecules, releasing the oxygen molecule and converting the remaining hydrogen molecules into energy – a cheaper and environmentally friendly source of energy.
Phase two of the project will run from 2029 to 2032, with the goal of exporting green ammonia both regionally and internationally. During phase three, 700,000 tonnes of ammonia are expected to be exported internationally.
As Africa’s first Net-Zero (carbon-free) village, the Daures Green Hydrogen Village comprises a solar panel field with a substation and electrolyser, training and laboratory facilities, a campsite for students, visitors, and workers, as well as a greenhouse, a nursery, and seven boreholes that pump 70 cubic metres of water daily.
Currently, 206 people are employed at the village, with the majority being residents of the Daures Constituency. Namaseb is committed to ensuring that local residents benefit from the project’s long-term employment opportunities.
“I foresee in the completion of the project and once the permanent jobs start, we can see how our people are accommodated,” he stated. “Even in this phase, we want the people to be trained. We want skills transfer to take place so that they can start working throughout the project.”
Gaob Zacharias Seibeb, the Chief of the Daure Daman, shares Namaseb’s vision for the project’s impact on the community. “I will still be happy if I see that in the final phases of the project if my people will still be accommodated the same way,” he expressed.
The project has also appointed 22 Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through lifetime contracts, with seven of these businesses being from the local market.
Currently, a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study is being initiated. This is a critical step towards achieving the project’s Final Investment Decision (FID).
The Daures Green Hydrogen Village is a collaborative effort between Enersense Namibia (90% shareholding), the Daure Daman Traditional Authority (5.5% shareholding), and the Tsiseb Conservancy (2.5% shareholding).
