Green hydrogen for all Namibians, Mbumba says
Country 'received a gift from God'
Energy minister Tom Alweendo said it was a deliberate strategy to recalibrate the economy using the country's resources.
President Nangolo Mbumba says he's not bothered by anyone who believes he has a stake in the green hydrogen project, as Namibia is for all Namibians.
“I know Namibians are going to say 'Mbumba already has a company and the Belgians are giving him a lot of money'. Let them say whatever they want to say. The industry is here for the benefit of all Namibians,” he said during the keynote address at the inauguration of the Cleanergy green hydrogen production plant by Ohlthaver & List Group and Belgium-based CMB.
He also reminded Namibians that they received a gift from God to have such a large country and it cannot be occupied by all Namibians, adding that industries will now be set up so that citizens will be witnessing good things.
“Sometimes it is good to dream, but more importantly to do things. Things that we can touch, feel them and then you really know that something can be done.”
Deliberate strategy
Energy minister Tom Alweendo said it was a deliberate strategy to recalibrate the economy using the country’s resources.
He added that Namibia realised that it would work better if it has global economic partners, and used diplomatic economics to find partners such as the Belgian government.
“You need to have investment that can be located globally and standards that are globally accepted and acceptable to all of us. You need to make sure that you are competitive because there are people who are doing the same thing. Therefore, we really are quite happy to have this partnership,” he said.
CMB Group CEO Alexander Saverys stressed that Namibia’s green hydrogen project is revolutionary and unique in Africa, and showcases the role the continent can play in the whole energy transition.
He pointed out that in the shipping industry, it is difficult is decarbonise and that it's not able to shift to batteries or electricity. They need to work on molecules, not electrons, and these molecules will be produced in Namibia, he said.
“It is here on this site in Walvis Bay that we want to produce these molecules. We will use the green hydrogen to power trucks, locomotives, mining equipment [and] port equipment, but we will also convert a small portion of that green hydrogen into green ammonia that can be used in the mining industry,” he said.
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“I know Namibians are going to say 'Mbumba already has a company and the Belgians are giving him a lot of money'. Let them say whatever they want to say. The industry is here for the benefit of all Namibians,” he said during the keynote address at the inauguration of the Cleanergy green hydrogen production plant by Ohlthaver & List Group and Belgium-based CMB.
He also reminded Namibians that they received a gift from God to have such a large country and it cannot be occupied by all Namibians, adding that industries will now be set up so that citizens will be witnessing good things.
“Sometimes it is good to dream, but more importantly to do things. Things that we can touch, feel them and then you really know that something can be done.”
Deliberate strategy
Energy minister Tom Alweendo said it was a deliberate strategy to recalibrate the economy using the country’s resources.
He added that Namibia realised that it would work better if it has global economic partners, and used diplomatic economics to find partners such as the Belgian government.
“You need to have investment that can be located globally and standards that are globally accepted and acceptable to all of us. You need to make sure that you are competitive because there are people who are doing the same thing. Therefore, we really are quite happy to have this partnership,” he said.
CMB Group CEO Alexander Saverys stressed that Namibia’s green hydrogen project is revolutionary and unique in Africa, and showcases the role the continent can play in the whole energy transition.
He pointed out that in the shipping industry, it is difficult is decarbonise and that it's not able to shift to batteries or electricity. They need to work on molecules, not electrons, and these molecules will be produced in Namibia, he said.
“It is here on this site in Walvis Bay that we want to produce these molecules. We will use the green hydrogen to power trucks, locomotives, mining equipment [and] port equipment, but we will also convert a small portion of that green hydrogen into green ammonia that can be used in the mining industry,” he said.
[email protected]
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