Posted on 27 Mar 2025
Germany-backed green iron manufacturer HyIron claims a “major green industrialisation milestone” with the first production of green hydrogen in Namibia, Kallanish reports.
The firm says its Oshivela project produced its first green molecules earlier this month through a 12-megawatt electrolyser. The equipment, touted as the largest of its kind in southern Africa, has been supplied by China’s Peric Hydrogen Systems and runs on solar power produced on-site. It also features 13.5 megawatt-hours of battery storage capacity.
“This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the strong support and vision of the government of Namibia and their ambitious green hydrogen program,” the company says. It also acknowledges the support from the German government, Peric and the 60 local small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the project.
“Construction of this groundbreaking facility commenced in April 2024, and to see it operational in less than a year is a remarkable feat of collaboration and efficiency,” comments HyIron Namibia ceo Johannes Michels.
Green hydrogen will be used as feedstock to convert iron ore into a direct reduced iron (DRI), which will be shipped to steelmakers in Germany. The Namibian project, located in the Erongo region, is targeting an initial production of 5 tonnes/hour of green iron, before reaching an annual production capacity of 15,000 t of DRI.
Namibia plans to become a global net exporter and hub to produce green hydrogen and its derivatives. It targets the production of 10-12 million t/y of hydrogen equivalent by 2050.
Last year, the government signed an MOU for a feasibility study for a 2,500-km dedicated hydrogen pipeline connecting Namibia to South Africa. With an estimated cost of €20 billion ($21.6 billion), the line would run from Namibia’s Lüderitz/Windhoek region to the Saldanha port in South Africa. Green hydrogen would be exported to Europe, but also serve local South African industries.
Source:Kallanish
