Namibia has been invited to join the International Hydrogen Trade Forum (IHTF), a development which will enable the country to actively contribute to the global collaboration agenda for advancing the green hydrogen ecosystem.
The IHTF serves as a pivotal platform for high-level discussions between importing and exporting nations, aimed at fostering the development of global trade corridors for hydrogen and its derivatives.
As a Forum member, Namibia will participate in the annual Ministerial Meeting and Ministerial-CEO Roundtable.
“Namibia recognizes the IHTF as a significant opportunity to enhance its ongoing efforts in scaling up the trade of hydrogen and its derivatives, fostering closer collaboration with partner nations and the private sector to maximize the environmental and socio-economic benefits of hydrogen trade,” said Green Hydrogen Commissioner and head of the Namibian Green Hydrogen Programme, James Mnyupe.
Mnyupe further stated that the Namibian Green Hydrogen Programme had recently concluded a visit to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Washington DC to discuss the implementation of a world-class Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) for identified green hydrogen valleys in Namibia.
“This collaboration aims to ensure adherence to the IFC performance standards for Environmental and Social Sustainability, facilitating access to capital from IFC, other Development Finance Institutions, and private sector financiers,” he said.
This comes as the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo’s tour of Siemens Energy’s gigawatt factory in Berlin, which showcases cutting-edge electrolyser production technologies.
“Siemens Energy expressed interest in exploring opportunities to assemble electrolysers in Namibia, aligning with the nation’s rapidly growing green hydrogen sector,” Mnyupe said..
As part of its Green Hydrogen and Derivatives Strategy, Namibia has identified three hydrogen valleys, which will produce ammonia, synthetic fuels, and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) in the southern region (Kharas), the central region (including Walvis Bay port and the capital Windhoek), and the northern region (Kunene).
The Strategy outlines a 12-point plan to be executed by March 2025, with the first step being the establishment of an Implementation Authority Office to support the Ministry of Mines and Energy in implementing the Strategy.
