'Green iron' project kicks off

The introduction and groundbreaking ceremony of the HyIron Oshivela project was announced last week and will commence next Monday on portion four of Bloemenhof farm 109 near Arandis. Environmental impact studies for the unique iron project at Tevrede Farm in the Erongo Region have been initiated by Namisun. Submissions will only be accepted until 3 November.HyIron Green Technologies plans to produce "green" iron by utilising solar power and hydrogen to drive the processing of the iron ore and extract hydrogen from water. The plant will be a first of its kind in Namibia and one of the first in Africa, undertaken in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).This is according to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) in the Office of the Presidency.The project is also part of the Namibian green hydrogen programme.New techNamibia&#039;s green hydrogen commissioner, James Mnyupe, stated that the construction of the plant is expected to commence as early as November. Locally produced hydrogen will be used to produce sponge iron (direct reduced iron), essential for steel production.During the initial phase, it is anticipated that 15 000 tonnes of iron will be produced in this manner, and the German government has already allocated 13.6 million euros (approximately N$291.3 million) for the development, he said.The removal of carbon from the steel industry is one of the most significant challenges globally in the fight against climate change, according to NIPDB, adding that HyIron – a partnership between Namibian and German companies – has developed the technology to efficiently produce iron with zero emissions.GoalsHyIron is a group of companies within the TS Group, including Aachen and LSF Energy from Paderborn. The TS Group is a pioneer in technical solutions in the field of fuel cells, batteries, and industrial ovens, while LSF Energy has years of experience in renewable energy generation. According to environmental experts Namisun, HyIron aims to produce approximately 5 tonnes of iron per hour for 3 000 hours per year during the initial phase, using hydrogen in an airtight rotary furnace to purify the iron. A 25-megawatt (MW) solar power plant will be constructed on 30 hectares for this purpose to supply the electricity needed to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis.

'Green iron' project kicks off

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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'Green iron' project kicks off

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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