Govt plays ‘ping-pong’ with green hydrogen law
• Officials seemingly dragging their feet
While the government dilly-dallies around the creation of laws aimed at regulating the green hydrogen industry, operators are using the vacuum to quickly set up shop.
Government officials have, yet again, shirked responsibility over who should spearhead the process to craft a law to regulate the budding green hydrogen industry.
This means a so-called ping-pong game continues, as the commencement of the planned law heads back and forth between the mines and energy ministry and the Green Hydrogen Council.
The law, and any accompanying regulations, is intended to provide a regulatory framework for industry players. Amid the inherent dangers of green hydrogen and with the recent launch of Cleanergy Solutions Namibia's green hydrogen harvest and the upcoming Daures harvest in two months, Namibia is currently governing this industry solely through signed agreements. Plans to enact a green hydrogen law remain vague.
Passing the buck
According to mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo, they are waiting for the council - headed by green hydrogen commissioner James Mnyupe - to put together a law for this sector. However, just last month Mnyupe told Namibian Sun this is the ministry's responsibility.
"The law that we need is a green hydrogen law, because the existing Electricity Act only has to do with traditional electricity. We have been thinking about whether to get new legislation or amend the Electricity Act. So far, the decision is to come up with a new law,” Alweendo said.
“The green hydrogen commissioner is tasked to come up with legislation. It is [the council’s] mandate to come up with a law for this industry," he added.
During a green hydrogen press conference last month, the council said it is working with the ministry to develop the legislation.
"Once the policy is ready at the ministry, it may very well choose to engage parliament. And that policy, of course, will be very strategic in creating the bill that would be going to the parliamentarians in following the lawmaking process," Mnyupe said when asked about the progress of legislation for this sector.
Set to open shop
According to Alweendo, green hydrogen leakages and threats to the environment are already provided for in the Environmental Management Act and will not fall under the green hydrogen law.
Instead, the new law will mainly govern agreements and the transportation of green hydrogen for export purposes.
In the meantime, Belgian and Namibian joint venture Cleanergy Solutions Namibia is set to open its hydrogen fuel station to the public later this year, while a second initiative, the Daures Green Hydrogen Valley, is expected to harvest green hydrogen - to be converted to ammonia - in the next two months.
Cleanergy is a joint venture between the Ohlthaver & List Group and Belgium-based CMB.TECH, which includes a 10-hectare solar park with a hydrogen production facility equipped with a five megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyser and a five-megawatt-hour battery.
This plant directly uses solar energy to produce hydrogen, which is then made available at the public hydrogen refuelling station for trucks and heavy-duty applications.
The Cleanergy refuelling station is set to become fully operational later this year, following the full commissioning last week in the presence of Belgium’s head of state, King Phillip.
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This means a so-called ping-pong game continues, as the commencement of the planned law heads back and forth between the mines and energy ministry and the Green Hydrogen Council.
The law, and any accompanying regulations, is intended to provide a regulatory framework for industry players. Amid the inherent dangers of green hydrogen and with the recent launch of Cleanergy Solutions Namibia's green hydrogen harvest and the upcoming Daures harvest in two months, Namibia is currently governing this industry solely through signed agreements. Plans to enact a green hydrogen law remain vague.
Passing the buck
According to mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo, they are waiting for the council - headed by green hydrogen commissioner James Mnyupe - to put together a law for this sector. However, just last month Mnyupe told Namibian Sun this is the ministry's responsibility.
"The law that we need is a green hydrogen law, because the existing Electricity Act only has to do with traditional electricity. We have been thinking about whether to get new legislation or amend the Electricity Act. So far, the decision is to come up with a new law,” Alweendo said.
“The green hydrogen commissioner is tasked to come up with legislation. It is [the council’s] mandate to come up with a law for this industry," he added.
During a green hydrogen press conference last month, the council said it is working with the ministry to develop the legislation.
"Once the policy is ready at the ministry, it may very well choose to engage parliament. And that policy, of course, will be very strategic in creating the bill that would be going to the parliamentarians in following the lawmaking process," Mnyupe said when asked about the progress of legislation for this sector.
Set to open shop
According to Alweendo, green hydrogen leakages and threats to the environment are already provided for in the Environmental Management Act and will not fall under the green hydrogen law.
Instead, the new law will mainly govern agreements and the transportation of green hydrogen for export purposes.
In the meantime, Belgian and Namibian joint venture Cleanergy Solutions Namibia is set to open its hydrogen fuel station to the public later this year, while a second initiative, the Daures Green Hydrogen Valley, is expected to harvest green hydrogen - to be converted to ammonia - in the next two months.
Cleanergy is a joint venture between the Ohlthaver & List Group and Belgium-based CMB.TECH, which includes a 10-hectare solar park with a hydrogen production facility equipped with a five megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyser and a five-megawatt-hour battery.
This plant directly uses solar energy to produce hydrogen, which is then made available at the public hydrogen refuelling station for trucks and heavy-duty applications.
The Cleanergy refuelling station is set to become fully operational later this year, following the full commissioning last week in the presence of Belgium’s head of state, King Phillip.
[email protected]
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