Green hydrogen at a crossroads
Private sector pushes on amid political uncertainty
Players in Namibia’s nascent green hydrogen industry insist they remain committed to advancing projects, despite reports of dwindling political support locally and growing global scepticism towards renewable energy, driven by resurgent right-wing movements.
The reported resignation of James Mnyupe as head of Namibia\'s Green Hydrogen Programme, coupled with the dissolution of the Green Hydrogen Council in March, has fuelled speculation that the new administration of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is less enthusiastic about the sector than her predecessor, the late President Hage Geingob.
The council, led by former energy minister Obeth Kandjoze and established by Geingob, was not retained when its mandate ended alongside his final term in office.
A senior government source told Namibian Sun that Geingob and Nandi-Ndaitwah “did not swim in the same pool” on green hydrogen matters, claiming the incoming president felt excluded from key decisions.
Mnyupe, who served as economic advisor to both Geingob and interim president Nangolo Mbumba, was the first presidential aide to depart under the new administration.
Ambitious targets
While some advisors remain in office, others have been reassigned, with Inge Zaamwani now serving as agriculture minister and former press secretary Alfredo Hengari tipped for a diplomatic posting.
Although momentum within government appears to have slowed, the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) still sets ambitious targets, including producing 1.3 million tonnes of green ammonia and generating 143 GWh of baseload electricity from green hydrogen annually by 2030.
The government also holds a 24% stake in Hyphen Hydrogen Energy through the SDG Namibia One Fund, a blended finance vehicle established to support the sector.
Other active private projects include Daures Green Hydrogen Village, Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, the Envision-Zhero Ammonia Plant, and the HyIron Oshivela project.
Sven Thieme, executive chairman of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, under which Cleanergy resorts, told Namibian Sun from the USA yesterday that “there’s nothing in the way” of the company’s development of green hydrogen.
“The green hydrogen which we\'ve launched last week is obviously our pilot project that will continue in the next stages of a complete expansion of producing hydrogen on a larger scale is on its way,” he said of the event attended by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
“There\'s nothing in the way of it. I think green hydrogen will remain important to the government as well because it\'s a renewable energy and I don\'t think anything changes. The question is just how do we make it viable at the moment since it\'s still a very expensive source of energy, but over time it will obviously come cheaper and cheaper.”
Thieme said he believes government is fully behind green hydrogen. “There\'s no issue at all.”
\'Renewable are the future\'
A senior Swapo insider cautioned that scaling down government involvement would be a “colossal mistake.”
“Renewables are the future. Government must regroup and push for green hydrogen, particularly at policy and ministerial level, now that the hydrogen council no longer exists,” the official said.
Despite uncertainty, Hyphen is pressing ahead.
In August, the developer awarded China National Chemical Engineering Corporation (CNCEC) and its subsidiary CC7 a contract for the front-end engineering design (FEED) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the ammonia production component of its project.
The agreement represents a significant milestone ahead of a final investment decision.
“This agreement marks a pivotal step in realising our vision to put Namibia on the map as a global leader in green hydrogen,” said Hyphen COO Giuseppe Surace.
However, local economist Rowland Brown warned that Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions face financing risks, particularly amid shifting global politics.
He noted that Europe’s political swing to the right – fuelled by economic pressures, immigration concerns, and rearmament following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – could limit subsidies and grants for renewables.
Right wing parties
“Trump has turned the world on its head on this issue, calling climate change a scam – and I tend to agree,” Brown said, referencing remarks by US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly this week.
“This will strengthen European right-wing parties and make it unlikely that green energy continues there in the same way.”
Brown concluded that the global debate is shifting “away from the idea of stopping climate change” towards merely “mitigating its impact,” a trend that could shape the pace and scale of Namibia’s green hydrogen rollout.
The reported resignation of James Mnyupe as head of Namibia\'s Green Hydrogen Programme, coupled with the dissolution of the Green Hydrogen Council in March, has fuelled speculation that the new administration of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is less enthusiastic about the sector than her predecessor, the late President Hage Geingob.
The council, led by former energy minister Obeth Kandjoze and established by Geingob, was not retained when its mandate ended alongside his final term in office.
A senior government source told Namibian Sun that Geingob and Nandi-Ndaitwah “did not swim in the same pool” on green hydrogen matters, claiming the incoming president felt excluded from key decisions.
Mnyupe, who served as economic advisor to both Geingob and interim president Nangolo Mbumba, was the first presidential aide to depart under the new administration.
Ambitious targets
While some advisors remain in office, others have been reassigned, with Inge Zaamwani now serving as agriculture minister and former press secretary Alfredo Hengari tipped for a diplomatic posting.
Although momentum within government appears to have slowed, the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) still sets ambitious targets, including producing 1.3 million tonnes of green ammonia and generating 143 GWh of baseload electricity from green hydrogen annually by 2030.
The government also holds a 24% stake in Hyphen Hydrogen Energy through the SDG Namibia One Fund, a blended finance vehicle established to support the sector.
Other active private projects include Daures Green Hydrogen Village, Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, the Envision-Zhero Ammonia Plant, and the HyIron Oshivela project.
Sven Thieme, executive chairman of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, under which Cleanergy resorts, told Namibian Sun from the USA yesterday that “there’s nothing in the way” of the company’s development of green hydrogen.
“The green hydrogen which we\'ve launched last week is obviously our pilot project that will continue in the next stages of a complete expansion of producing hydrogen on a larger scale is on its way,” he said of the event attended by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
“There\'s nothing in the way of it. I think green hydrogen will remain important to the government as well because it\'s a renewable energy and I don\'t think anything changes. The question is just how do we make it viable at the moment since it\'s still a very expensive source of energy, but over time it will obviously come cheaper and cheaper.”
Thieme said he believes government is fully behind green hydrogen. “There\'s no issue at all.”
\'Renewable are the future\'
A senior Swapo insider cautioned that scaling down government involvement would be a “colossal mistake.”
“Renewables are the future. Government must regroup and push for green hydrogen, particularly at policy and ministerial level, now that the hydrogen council no longer exists,” the official said.
Despite uncertainty, Hyphen is pressing ahead.
In August, the developer awarded China National Chemical Engineering Corporation (CNCEC) and its subsidiary CC7 a contract for the front-end engineering design (FEED) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the ammonia production component of its project.
The agreement represents a significant milestone ahead of a final investment decision.
“This agreement marks a pivotal step in realising our vision to put Namibia on the map as a global leader in green hydrogen,” said Hyphen COO Giuseppe Surace.
However, local economist Rowland Brown warned that Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions face financing risks, particularly amid shifting global politics.
He noted that Europe’s political swing to the right – fuelled by economic pressures, immigration concerns, and rearmament following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – could limit subsidies and grants for renewables.
Right wing parties
“Trump has turned the world on its head on this issue, calling climate change a scam – and I tend to agree,” Brown said, referencing remarks by US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly this week.
“This will strengthen European right-wing parties and make it unlikely that green energy continues there in the same way.”
Brown concluded that the global debate is shifting “away from the idea of stopping climate change” towards merely “mitigating its impact,” a trend that could shape the pace and scale of Namibia’s green hydrogen rollout.
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