Bertha Tobias
Innovation is at the heart of sustainable progress. Any nation that is genuinely committed to substantive change necessarily needs to prioritise technological initiative and proactivity. The Land of the Brave is no exception. As we slowly strive to recover from the blows of immense economic hardship ushered in by the Covid-19 pandemic, our resolve and resilience is exemplified yet again - this time through the green hydrogen project.
On 18 March 2021, the President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, launched the Harambee Prosperity Plan II. Under the pillar for economic advancement, Namibia committed to investigate the feasibility of green hydrogen and ammonia “as a transformative strategic industry.” Simply put, Namibia has committed to exploring the possibility for becoming an ideally low-cost green hydrogen producer. This effort not only ushers in a new era of world-class economic development for our nation, but it also signifies an irrefutable triumph for our current administration.
To understand the global implications of our green hydrogen undertaking, it’s crucial to understand the basic technical action points of green hydrogen production. Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced entirely by renewable energy, or from low-carbon power. It has significantly lower emissions than grey hydrogen, which constitutes the bulk of the current market for hydrogen. Made by splitting hydrogen and water molecules in the air, green hydrogen can be used in the chemical industry for manufacturing ammonia and fertilisers, as well as to produce petroleum products. Namibia is well-positioned for green hydrogen production, largely due to the sun and wind in specific regions. The potential immense benefits of becoming a green hydrogen producer are best understood in relative global terms. That is, green hydrogen could supply up to 25% of the world’s energy needs by 2050 and become a US$10 trillion addressable market by 2050, according to Goldman Sachs. Namibia’s commitment to exploring green hydrogen production is, in essence, a commitment to participating as an equal and consequential economic partner on a global scale.
Moreover, Namibia’s green hydrogen strategy potentially translates to a strengthened position as a destination for foreign direct investment. The increased prospects for investment are equally accompanied by the potential for job creation. According to Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, the project development company that has been announced as the preferred bidder for the US$9.4 billion-dollar project, the years of construction are expected to create 15 000 direct jobs and 3 000 more during full operations, 90% of which are expected to be filled by Namibians.
Estimated to produce 300 000 metric tons of green hydrogen for regional global markets, the technical prospective gains are obvious.
However, we should be equally interested in the conceptual, political and principle significance of an undertaking such as this. Development, within the context of the green hydrogen project, should not be understated. Its impact transcends its economic and technological significance. It signifies the continuation of strengthened innovation in our country.
Namibia’s decisiveness to throw caution to the wind and explore green hydrogen production should be embroidered into her culture for the foreseeable future and beyond. Hereby, it is my hope that we do not miss the opportunity to capture the essence of the moment. Given the sheer magnitude of green hydrogen production, we are on the cusp of transformative national bravery, and we should not undermine the importance of this manifestation of resolve.
Conclusively, the green hydrogen strategy is reflective of the crucial role of technocracy in governance. Facilitating a highly specialised effort in green hydrogen production magnifies the possibility of widespread impact, emanating from the localised feats of science. It propels our engagement in both innovation as well as the institutional mechanisms necessary to sustain technological growth.
As a firm believer in the importance of showing up, I understand Namibia’s catapult into these paths as an act of bravery and leadership that will reverberate beyond the walls of this lifetime. Green hydrogen production sounds to most like an abstract, distant and even intangible effort that exclusively concerns a limited section of the Namibian citizenry. However, it is an undertaking that should profoundly move us all to high-quality discourse. It’s about real lives, real people and the fearlessness of a small but mighty nation that chooses to get into the arena.
*Bertha Tobias is a speaker and youth leader. She currently resides in California, USA, where she is a third-year International Relations student. Find out more on www.berthatobias.com