Speaking at the Global African Hydrogen Summit in Namibia on Wednesday 4 September, the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, stressed the importance of renewable hydrogen in supporting the growth of green industrial processes and the development of local value chains in Africa.
“Green hydrogen will be globally traded commodity”, she said, stressing the need for the EU to develop a worldwide network of partnerships and to coordinate the standardisation of production.
These partnerships are part of the Global Gateway strategy, mobilising €150 billion in private funds as part of the Africa-Europe investment package.
In Namibia, more than €1 billion from the Global Gateway strategy will be allocated to implement the EU-Namibia Memorandum of Understanding, targeting the entire renewable hydrogen ecosystem, including critical raw material value chains.
Asked about the EU’s desire to minimise risks and diversify its energy imports following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Commissioner referred to the EU’s existing energy support for Ukraine, but also said that “the EU can take care of its own electricity consumption” and that it was necessary to “support our neighbours and encourage green investment”.
More specifically, on 4 September, the EU launched three EU-funded programmes in Namibia to support the country’s green industrialisation and, in particular, develop its renewable hydrogen economy.
The first programme aims to support Namibian and South African green hydrogen investment funds to the tune of €50 million.
The EU is then mobilising, together with Germany, €2.7 million as part of the Eu-Get.transform programme to support energy planning at the Ministry of Mines and Energy and to help Namibia develop its renewable energy production capacity, particularly in remote areas.
Finally, the EU is providing €1.2 million for Namibia’s green hydrogen programme, also supported by Germany and the Netherlands. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)