Belgium has reaffirmed its commitment to working with Namibia on forging a long-term partnership in developing the clean energy sector, particularly in green hydrogen.
King Philippe of Belgium said the partnership aims to ensure Namibia reaps the benefits of the entire value chain in clean energy development.
“I am delighted to inaugurate with you our new joint projects involving solar power, green hydrogen, skills training and sustainable port logistics. Equally, I am impressed with Namibia’s resilience and success since independence, as Belgium is also strongly committed to democracy and human rights,” King Philippe said at the Statehouse where he met President Nangolo Mbumba.
Equally, King Philippe, who is on a five-day state visit, said Belgium is proud to be the biggest importer of Namibian goods within the European Union.
“In a world where conflicts and wars risk taking our attention away from global challenges like climate change and the need to transform our economies, it is important to work with our partner countries which share this vision to protect our environment and resources and act upon it. We are therefore here to witness this partnership and show our long-term commitment,” he added.
President Mbumba said the visit would enable the two countries to further strengthen their bilateral relations in a diverse range of sectors ranging from green hydrogen, environment, tourism, forestry, arts and culture, trade and investment and port development.
“Our two countries have been working tirelessly at official and private sector levels to realise the vision of a reduced carbon print,” he said.
The President highlighted that in November 2021, the Energy Ministers of Namibia and Belgium signed an MoU at COP26 in Glasgow to cooperate on green hydrogen and green ammonia.
In June 2022, Mbumba said the Namibian Ports Authority and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International signed an MoU to collaborate on green energy solutions, infrastructure development, capacity building and the establishment of a green hydrogen supply chain between the two ports.
The bilateral agreements led to the establishment of Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, by O&L–a Namibian company–and CMB.TECH Group, a Belgian entity.
The entity is now working on a green hydrogen production plant, which the King and his delegation will visit on Wednesday (tomorrow).
The hydrogen production plant established at Walvis Bay uses solar energy for hydrogen production onsite.
The facility will supply hydrogen to trucks, port equipment, and railway applications.
As an integral part of this project, a Hydrogen Academy will be established to educate and train local individuals on hydrogen technology and its wide-ranging applications.
The hydrogen refuelling station is expected to be fully operational by mid-2024.
The Cleanergy Solutions Namibia project includes a 10-hectare solar park with a hydrogen production facility equipped with a 5-megawatt Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser and a 5-megawatt hour battery.
The plant uses solar energy to produce hydrogen, which is then made available at the public hydrogen refuelling station for trucks and heavy-duty applications.
“Namibia is standing on the verge of a possible energy boom in the traditional hydrocarbon sector given recent exciting discoveries of oil and gas in our oceans. We see these discoveries as supplementary to our collective quest to transition towards cleaner sources of energy such as green hydrogen,” the President said.
“Namibia is ready to work together with Belgium and other friends to ensure that the energy transition takes place smoothly without major interruptions to global energy sufficiency. We view the traditional oil and gas sector as transitional, whereas cleaner energy sources are meant to usher in a climate-friendly green future. Your Majesty, our two countries have been working tirelessly at official and private sector levels to realise the vision of a reduced carbon print,” he added.
Following the official engagements, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Belgium’s Lignaverda Reforestation Corporation.
