idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
The GreeN-H2-Namibia project has published three new reports that together provide key insights for Namibia’s emerging green economy. Covering topics from Power-to-X (PtX) technologies to regional water infrastructure, the reports address both technical and socio-economic challenges that decision-makers face in building a sustainable hydrogen sector.
The project is a collaboration between DECHEMA German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, has published three new reports that together provide key insights for Namibia’s emerging green economy. Covering topics from Power-to-X (PtX) technologies to regional water infrastructure, the reports address both technical and socio-economic challenges that decision-makers face in building a sustainable hydrogen sector.
The PtX report provides a comprehensive analysis of PtX, a key component of the green hydrogen economy, which converts renewable energy into storable fuels and chemicals. It details primary production pathways and evaluates their technical feasibility in Namibia’s context. Additionally, the report highlights potential applications, including transport fuels, industrial feedstocks, and energy storage, while assessing demand projections for the domestic market. “Besides green ammonia and green steel, PtX includes the production of sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals, such as e-methanol or e-diesel”, states co-author Dr. Chokri Boumrifak. “However, these compounds require a carbon source that could be obtained from biogenic sources or hard to mitigate emissions, e.g. cement plants.” Therefore, the authors of the report explore suitable carbon sources in Namibia. The extension of Namibia’s green hydrogen derivatives beyond green Ammonia could also unlock further market opportunities in the future. Not only as PtX export commodities but also for suitable domestic industrial sectors as potential offtakers. “Diesel is a widely used fuel in transportation, mining, agriculture, and fishing”, comments Co-Author Dr. Robin Ruff “Additionally, ammonia is a precursor for fertilizers and explosives that could be used in agriculture and the mining sector.” Although, PtX products are expected to be cost intensive in short- and midterm scenarios, cost reductions through optimizations in the development of these technologies could potentially make PtX more feasible for Namibian industries.
A further report explores the potential of brine valorisation in Namibia, particularly as desalination expands to support the country’s growing green hydrogen sector. While current regulations require environmental clearance for brine discharge, specific standards are missing to guide sustainable desalination practices. Market opportunities could be in sodium chloride, soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, and longer-term recovery of magnesium and lithium. There is a chance that high-value, circular brine economy can be integrated with desalination and green energy hubs.
In parallel, the project has also released a report on water infrastructure in the ||Kharas Region, where Lüderitz and Aus are emerging as focal points for Namibia’s green hydrogen ambitions. The report compiles scattered data from diverse stakeholders into one coherent analysis, giving decision-makers a clearer basis for planning water infrastructure in the face of uncertainty. This synthesis is particularly valuable for both Namibian and international stakeholders, who often lack a consolidated picture of local water constraints and investment needs in the context of green hydrogen development. Uncertainties range from whether hydrogen workers’ families will relocate, to what skills exist locally, the readiness of infrastructure, and how industrial development will actually unfold over time.
To address this, the report develops scenarios for future water demand built on transparent assumptions. The results underline the advantages of a modular approach to water infrastructure, which allows investments to grow with demand: meeting current and near-term needs without holding back other industries or urban growth, while keeping flexibility for larger green hydrogen projects. By providing transparent assumptions and scenario-based pathways, the report also creates an accessible entry point for international financiers, development partners and private sector actors to understand where their support could make the most impact. The report calls for urgent solutions in Lüderitz and Aus and raises key questions that could shape not just local planning, but Namibia’s green hydrogen economy as a whole.
Together, these reports provide evidence-based guidance for policymakers, investors, and communities both within Namibia and internationally, particularly among investors, development agencies and decision-makers seeking to understand Namibia’s role in the global green hydrogen economy. They highlight both the opportunities and uncertainties of Namibia’s hydrogen transition, offering practical insights to ensure that industrial growth is matched with sustainable infrastructure and equitable development.
All reports can be downloaded on the website https://dechema.de/GreeNH2_Namibia.html
About the project partners
DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie e.V. brings together experts from different disciplines, institutions and generations to promote scientific exchange in chemical engineering, process engineering and biotechnology. DECHEMA searches for new technological trends, evaluates them and accompanies the implementation of research results in technical applications. More than 5,500 engineers, scientists, students, companies and institutions belong to the non-profit association.
ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research is one of the leading independent institutes for sustainability research. It develops scientific foundations and forward-looking concepts for socio-ecological transformations. To this end, ISOE conducts transdisciplinary research on global problems such as water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation, and finds viable solutions that take into account ecological, social and economic conditions.
Criteria of this press release:
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Chemistry, Energy
transregional, national
Research projects, Research results
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