Green hydrogen projects must be managed by comprehensive new law

Martin Endjala

The Namibian Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, announced plans for a new comprehensive regulatory framework to manage the burgeoning green hydrogen sector in Namibia.

Speaking in Windhoek at Droombos during the conclusion of the European Union Twinning Project, the Minister emphasized the importance of the Synthetic Fuels Act in creating an enabling legislative environment for hydrogen projects.

This act aims to ensure compliance with international standards in green fuel certification, health, safety, and environmental protection.

This announcement follows a successful meeting between Namibian and German officials, where they agreed to work on an Institutional Partnership on Namibia Quality Infrastructure (NQI) for green hydrogen.

This partnership between the two countries’ public institutions will play a crucial role in advancing Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Strategy. This strategy sets an ambitious goal of producing 10-12 million tonnes of hydrogen equivalent annually by 2050, positioning Namibia as a significant player in the green fuels industry.

Recognizing the necessity of the Synthetic Fuels Act, Minister Iipumbu highlighted its role in achieving key deliverables under Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Strategy.

The minister called for a collective effort from all NQI stakeholders to realize the nation’s objectives in trade, economic emancipation, and social progression.

Furthermore, the EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins, reflected on the benefits of the EU Twinning Project.

She noted that the project’s learnings could aid other countries embarking on similar journeys and mentioned the adjustments made to the Twinning Manual to meet new demands. Despite the project’s conclusion, Martins assured that collaboration between the EU and Namibia would continue. She highlighted the ‘’Support to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Implementation Plan in Namibia’. Europe is funding the program with six million euros and is set to run until 2025.

This program supports the Namibia Standards Institution, Customs, MIT, and other trade-related agencies, aiming to enhance Namibia’s export potential under the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreement.