N$17bn green fuel plant on the cards at Henties Bay

A N$17 billion solar-powered plant to produce green hydrogen and ammonia for Europe is planned for Henties Bay, with 550 construction jobs and 200 permanent posts.CMMZE Energy Namibia plans to start construction in 2027 and begin exports in 2030. The project is expected to create about 550 jobs during construction and 200 permanent jobs.“This, we believe, will contribute to a significant reduction in unemployment in Henties Bay and the Erongo Region as a whole,” director Trevor Brockerhoff told Network Media Hub.He said the company will also contribute to training and skills transfer for the industry.Henties Bay has an estimated permanent population of 7 000 to 8 000. Its economy depends on tourism and recreational fishing, and unemployment is high.An 800 MW solar plant with battery storage will power an electrolyser that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen will be converted into ammonia on site, stored at -33°C and shipped to Europe. The company aims to produce roughly 210 000 tonnes of green ammonia a year.Countries that want to cut emissions from heavy industry and shipping are turning to green hydrogen and its derivatives, and many lack the renewable energy to produce their own. The project aims to use Namibia’s sunshine and coastline to supply that market.Internal fundingThe plant will cover 1 087 ha, about 11 km², of municipal land south of the town’s airport. The Henties Bay council passed a resolution on the project in November 2022, and the site was leased in November 2025.The environment ministry issued an environmental clearance certificate for the project in September. The certificate remains in the name of Ugab Power Reserve, the company’s former name, until the ministry records the change.CMMZE Energy Namibia is owned by CMMZE Invest, belonging to shipping magnate Dr Aldo Labia; Chekai Investments, belonging to Dr Harry Gonteb; and Brockerhoff. Development costs have so far been funded internally, with Labia facilitating the project’s funding.The company will run its own ammonia carriers. Brockerhoff said they have been ordered and will be commissioned in 2028.Water supply is still to be confirmed. The plant will draw water from NamWater’s Omdel–Swakopmund bulk supply through a new connection, subject to NamWater confirming that supply is available. An earlier plan for a seawater desalination plant has been dropped.The export route also still has to be cleared. The ammonia is to leave from a floating jetty offshore Henties Bay, linked to the plant by a pipeline. The jetty and pipeline form the project’s second phase and need their own environmental assessment and clearance.The project’s environmental assessment warns that it could attract job seekers from outside the area and recommends that local people be employed first.

N$17bn green fuel plant on the cards at Henties Bay

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-04

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N$17bn green fuel plant on the cards at Henties Bay

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Namibian Sun 2026-11-04

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