Namibia and South Africa provide favourable conditions and are well situated with respect to shipping to take advantage of the green hydrogen economy. Two key projects are already in advanced stages of development: the Hyphen Hydrogen Energy and Daures projects, which are set to transform southern Africa into a vital supplier of hydrogen to meet the energy demands of developed nations.
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KSB’s Mega CPK pump is ideal for pumping aggressive petrochemicals such as green ammonia.
Global pumping solutions provider KSB has identified the vast potential of these types of projects in southern Africa and through its KSB Pumps and Valves subsidiaries in Namibia and South Africa is investing heavily in bringing the right skills to the region. Specialised planning is essential to ensure the success of the hydrogen economy, which involves creating green hydrogen using electricity from renewable energy sources to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen gas through electrolysis.
According to KSB business strategist, Ulrich Stahl the important function of hydrogen is that it makes the transport of renewable energy over long distances possible. Being a light gas, however hydrogen is difficult to contain and it requires compressing and cryogenic freezing to convert it into liquid form. This has led to techniques where it is converted into hydrogen-rich ammonia (NH3), which is easier to store and transport than pure hydrogen. Once shipped to its destination, NH3 can be converted back into hydrogen, making it a practical and scalable solution for meeting global energy needs.
In Namibia the Hyphen Hydrogen Project aims to build a massive 3 GW electrolyser facility near Lüderitz with production of green hydrogen set to begin by 2026. At full capacity, it will produce 3 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually. This ambitious project will draw on 6 GW of renewable energy generated from wind and solar power, ensuring that the hydrogen it produces is entirely green and emissions-free. The hydrogen will be exported primarily to Europe with Rotterdam allocated as a key destination for energy integration.
The Daures Project follows a similar path, focusing on leveraging Namibia’s climate and space to develop large-scale hydrogen infrastructure. These projects will also require the expansion of towns to accommodate thousands of new jobs and the building of residential, industrial and port infrastructure. This is expected to create substantial economic growth and job opportunities in the region.
KSB Pumps and Valves Namibia managing director, DeWet Van Wyk, adds that with its local manufacturing ability and access to global supply chains, KSB is well poised to support the scale of the hydrogen economy where entire regions need to be transformed. “From residential housing to essential services, we need to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to sustain the thousands of people who will be working on these projects.”
“For hydrogen production, advanced electrolyser plants need to be built to separate hydrogen from water using renewable energy. Our technology will play a crucial role in supplying the specialised pumps needed to handle ultra-pure water in electrolysers, as well as those needed for pressurising hydrogen and converting it to ammonia.
Beyond the technical infrastructure, these projects will require significant investment in population amenities. The remote location of the hydrogen projects, particularly in sparsely populated areas such as Lüderitz and the Northern Cape, necessitates the development of entire support ecosystems. Housing for thousands of workers will need to be built along with critical services such as wastewater treatment, food supply chains, schools and healthcare facilities among others. Small towns like Lüderitz, currently home to just a few hundred residents, are expected to grow significantly to accommodate the workforce required.”
KSB Pumps and Valves market area manager, Dylan Mitchell, further explains that ammonia can be shipped using existing infrastructure allowing southern Africa to export energy to areas such as Europe and Japan, where clean energy demand is on the rise. Once at its destination, ammonia can be split back into hydrogen and fed into industries for the manufacture of green steel, green petrochemicals or green power.
“We believe that with international collaboration, government support and private-sector investment, the green hydrogen projects in Namibia and South Africa hold enormous promise. Southern Africa’s ability to produce and export clean green hydrogen positions the region as a strategic destination for global investment. The infrastructure needed to support these projects will also provide much-needed economic growth,” Ulrich concludes.
