Namibia is showcasing its potential to become a major player in Africa’s clean-energy transition with the commissioning of the CMB.TECH Namibia facility, described as the continent’s first fully integrated green hydrogen facility.
Located in Walvis Bay, the facility brings together solar power generation, green hydrogen production and energy storage in one operational ecosystem, demonstrating how renewable energy can support industrial decarbonisation and long-term energy security. The project uses Namibia’s abundant sunshine to produce clean energy. Its 5MWp solar park covers 6.5 hectares and supplies a 5MW Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser, supported by a 5.9MWh battery energy storage system.
The electrolyser uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with the hydrogen initially destined for local industrial applications. These include dual-fuel trucks, generators and Namibia’s first hydrogen-powered freight locomotive. In the future, the facility could also become integrated with port infrastructure, with green hydrogen used to produce ammonia for maritime fuel and potentially support cleaner shipping operations.
Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens Sub-Saharan Africa, said the project demonstrates that large-scale clean-energy production is no longer merely a future ambition. She said the facility shows the viability of green hydrogen as an important component of Africa’s energy transition, particularly in challenging environments where reliable energy is essential for economic growth. CMB.TECH Chief Technology Officer Roy Campe described the facility as a “Living Lab” for an integrated hydrogen economy. The site includes an off-grid electrolyser, hydrogen refuelling station and Hydrogen Academy aimed at developing local skills. Skills development is already a major component of the project. Twenty-four of the facility’s 25 employees are Namibian, with employees receiving training through the Hydrogen Academy.
Walvis Bay Municipal Mayor Johannes Shimbilinga highlighted the importance of partnerships with local universities and institutions such as the Namibia Institute for Mining Technology in developing engineers and technicians capable of supporting Namibia’s emerging hydrogen industry. The project also has a built-in market for its hydrogen, with CMB.TECH using the fuel in its own industrial operations. This provides an immediate customer for the facility and addresses a common challenge facing green hydrogen projects – securing reliable demand.
The company has ambitious plans for expansion. The current 5MWp solar park occupies only a fraction of the available land, with plans to increase capacity to 250MW and eventually 500MW. Campe said the long-term vision is to help turn Namibia into a global energy hub, with the potential to export renewable energy to Europe and other international markets. With its combination of renewable power, hydrogen production, energy storage, transport applications and local skills development, the Walvis Bay facility marks a significant step in Namibia’s ambition to build a new green industrial economy.
Source: VUKA Group
By Rudi Bowe
