The late president Hage Geingob’s vision has been realised, as Namibia has made major strides to establish itself as a major player in the world of green hydrogen production.
The transformation of Namibia’s economy and the realisation of green hydrogen in the country were spearheaded by Geingob.
Drawing on the proverb that ‘Rome was not built in a day’, this serves as a reminder that significant and great accomplishments require time and work.
Success in any endeavour demands years of patience, perseverance and long-term thinking. It is fair that we revisit His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob’s role in the economic governance of Namibia, particularly some of the economic policies and programmes that laid the foundation for the country’s economic growth.
Although some of the critics and economic analysts, over the years, have downplayed the realisation of green hydrogen on the country’s overall development, Geingob leveraged his personal qualities and principles of integrity, accountability and service to champion the implementation of those economic reforms.
His economic strategy has been to identify poverty reduction as an overarching objective of ensuring macroeconomic stability, which is crucial for ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Therefore, it is worthy to note that the economic policies and reforms rolled out by the president saw progress in poverty reduction and employment-creation.
Furthermore, as part of the transition to a carbon-neutral environment, it is evident there is political and ideological pressure to make hydrogen a vital part of the energy mix. As a result, green hydrogen has the potential to significantly contribute to these efforts by displacing carbon-intensive fuels throughout the economy, and resulting in significant emission reductions.
The economy will greatly benefit from the establishment of a reliable domestic energy supply, which will also lower imports from nearby nations.
Notably, the development of a domestic green hydrogen market will spur the formation of numerous domestic businesses, and generate thousands of
jobs for the local population in every industry along the value chain.
The development has positioned Namibia to enhance clean energy and fulfil the most important directive of COP26.
Member nations decided to focus on the tougher 1.5C aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement, realising that the 2C target would allow massive destruction to occur.
This development will not only benefit Namibia, but also support research conducted since the Paris Agreement.
There has been a temperature rise of 2C above pre-industrial levels, which would cause changes to the climate system that would be, in many cases, catastrophic, and some of them would be irreversible, so switching the focus to a 1.5C goal represents vital progress.
Hence, COP27 emphasises climate finance, adaptation as well as loss and damage, issues of vital importance to developing nations.
The energy crisis and economic woes of the past year could even make COP27 a turning point towards clean energy and a low-carbon economy.
Namibia has world-class conditions for generating renewable electricity through solar and wind power, which are key drivers for reducing the production cost of green hydrogen.
To exploit and benefit from this potential, the Namibian government has high ambitions for both building large-scale solar and wind farms, as well as producing green energy carriers and raw materials.
Moreover, we should acknowledge what is already being achieved in our country, and take a pragmatic and realistic view of what can feasibly be achieved.
The road towards a green hydrogen economy will not be an easy one, as the future demand and structure of the market remain uncertain.
To reach net zero emissions, it will require significant investment in current and new clean technologies, and doing away with fossil fuels.
Therefore, to realise the true potential of hydrogen locally and to capture the benefits, policy support mechanisms are essential for the penetration of green hydrogen into multiple sectors and encourage sector coupling.
I view green hydrogen as the path forward to full decarbonisation in a way that is reliable.
It is important to note that green hydrogen can create more space for renewables by driving electrolysis with energy that would otherwise be curtailed.
These renewable resources have the potential not only to meet Namibia’s domestic energy needs, but also to position Namibia as a major exporter of clean energy and goods exhibiting local content.
I believe that a green economy can only be achieved through the commitment and actions of multiple sectors and stakeholders in society, including government, business and individuals.
Decisions at these levels have the potential to transform local and regional economies, while having a pronounced impact on how communities and individuals within society live. In addition, a range of enabling conditions, strategic priorities and policy reforms will be required for the redirection of investments and the reconfiguration of infrastructure to support a green hydrogen economy.
Namibia should give green hydrogen top priority as a possible decarbonisation solution to support these ongoing initiatives. Green hydrogen has the potential to significantly enhance the standard of living for residents by generating jobs, boosting foreign direct investment (FDI) in Namibia, and
assisting the nation in achieving its sustainability goals.
Along with increasing energy self-sufficiency, increased energy generation will result in surplus energy that can be exported to neighbouring countries.
Considering the prospects that green hydrogen holds for Namibia, genuine action is necessary to ensure the nation fully takes advantage of these opportunities for green- hydrogen projects to maximise benefits and minimise negative effects on
local communities, good corporate governance, community engagement and transparent practices are critical.
To ensure government acts to address high-level dishonesty and the potential
risk of conflicts of interest, appropriate policy frameworks are required. Avoiding this at all costs is advised.
We are reminded of the great responsibility we have to uphold Geingob’s vision, as we continue his work.
His vision states, the creation and application of green hydrogen has the potential to greatly improve energy security, promote economic expansion and decarbonise a number of industries.