Germany is pushing for a hydrogen economy in Namibia and South Africa as a way to reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. The German government is providing financial and technical assistance to help these countries develop hydrogen production and infrastructure. The goal is to have Namibia and South Africa producing hydrogen using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. This hydrogen would then be used to power vehicles, homes, and businesses, reducing emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.
Germany’s Economy Minister Robert Habeck started a five-day trip to Namibia and South Africa on Sunday in an attempt to secure new energy resources for Europe’s biggest economy, compensating for the cut-off from Russian gas supplies. Habeck will be meeting with officials from both countries in an attempt to drum up support for German energy companies interested in investing in Namibia and South Africa.
The German economy is heavily reliant on Russian gas supplies, and the recent cut-off has put a strain on German businesses. Habeck is hoping that by securing new energy resources from Namibia and South Africa, Germany can reduce its dependence on Russia.
During his first stop in the Namibian capital Windhoek, Habeck, who will be accompanied by a delegation of 24 German business leaders, will sign an agreement on the production of green hydrogen. Namibia is considered to be an ideal location because of its huge amounts of sun, wind and uninhabited space. The agreement is part of a larger push by the German government to invest in green hydrogen production as a way to reduce the country’s carbon emissions.
Germany’s RWE and consortium Hyphen Hydrogen Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding that could see RWE purchase up to 300,000 tons of green ammonia per year. Green ammonia is produced by electrolyzing water to generate hydrogen, which is then combined with nitrogen from the air to produce ammonia. Ammonia is a hydrogen derivative that is particularly suitable for transport by ship.
RWE is one of the world’s largest electricity and gas companies, with operations in more than 40 countries. The company is currently developing a number of hydrogen projects, including a green hydrogen production facility in the Netherlands and a fuel cell power plant in Germany.
German Minister for Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, will attend the German-African Business Summit in Johannesburg next week together with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The summit will provide an opportunity for German and African business leaders to discuss ways to deepen economic cooperation between the two regions.
Klöckner and Ramaphosa will also use the summit to launch a new initiative to promote joint ventures between German and African companies. The initiative, which is being spearheaded by the German Confederation of Industry and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will aim to create more opportunities for German companies to invest in Africa.
Habeck’s Africa visit is part of a larger diplomatic mission by the German government to establish new energy alliances abroad after Russia cut-off its gas supplies in September. Habeck has recently also travelled to Canada, Qatar and Norway in order to secure liquefied natural gas resources. This is a direct result of Russia’s actions, and Habeck is working hard to ensure that Germany is not left without a reliable source of energy. So far, his efforts have been successful, and Germany has been able to secure the resources it needs to keep running smoothly.
Edited by Ericson Mangoli