Leaders in the transport and energy sectors on Thursday discussed the role of hydrogen, e-fuels and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in decarbonising the global transport industry during an industry dialogue at the ongoing Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek.
The dialogue, held as part of the summit from Tuesday to Thursday, brought together representatives from Namibia’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Toyota South Africa and Mafika Engineering SA (Pty) Ltd.
NCAA executive director, Toska Sem, said the aviation sector is highly regulated and that Namibia has already submitted an action plan on carbon emission reduction to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“Although our aviation sector is small, we are collaborating with stakeholders to align regulations with sustainable aviation practices,” she said.
Representing Toyota South Africa, Antone Smalberger emphasised a multi-pathway approach to decarbonisation, noting the company is investing in electric vehicles, hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells and e-fuels.
“E-fuels are part of the future because they can be integrated into existing infrastructure with lower barriers compared to full electrification in heavy-duty trucks,” he explained.
From the mining and heavy-duty equipment perspective, chief executive officer of Mafika Engineering SA (Pty) Ltd, Graydon Epstein, highlighted the potential of dual-fuel hydrogen solutions.
“By blending hydrogen with diesel, we can reduce emissions by up to 30% immediately, while creating time for industry to transition fully to hydrogen-powered systems,” he said, stressing the opportunity for Africa to develop and export its own technologies rather than relying solely on imports.
The dialogue underlined the importance of collaboration, regulatory readiness and cost competitiveness in making hydrogen and sustainable fuels viable alternatives.
The Global African Hydrogen Summit, endorsed by the Namibian government and supported by various partners, has attracted delegates from over 75 countries.
– Nampa