Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Hage Geingob has called for the development of a portfolio of instruments to transform the Namibian Synthetic Fuels Industry from a theoretical concept into a tangible reality.
This call was made during his opening speech at the Leaders Session on the Green Energy Transition and Green Hydrogen at the Global Gateway Forum, hosted by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, Belgium.
“I stand here before you all to urge us to work closely together to craft a portfolio of instruments that we must announce at the 28thth United Nations Conference of Parties – a portfolio that will propel the idea of a Namibian Synthetic Fuels Industry beyond theory. Indeed, an EU-Namibia Off-Take Program must be part of the requisite innovative solutions that we deliver to the world in December 2023,” he said.
The President explained that this call to action was inspired by feedback from Namibian and EU project developers who have stressed the need for specific and well-targeted support mechanisms for Namibia’s emerging synthetic fuel industry.
Citing the Namibian Green Hydrogen Strategy, President Geingob further revealed that the global demand for hydrogen and its derivatives is expected to rise from an estimated 140 million tonnes per year in 2030 to 660 million tonnes per year by 2050. According to him, Namibia is well-equipped to play a vital role in meeting this anticipated global and European demand for hydrogen, which can help in the transition to net-zero emissions.
President Geingob’s confidence in Namibia’s ability to contribute to the hydrogen supply-demand gap is based on the country’s quality renewable energy sources and well-established infrastructure for hydrogen projects.
“However,” he acknowledged, “natural endowments and infrastructure alone will not suffice.”
For this reason, the president added, he came to an agreement with President von der Leyen that it is vital for Namibia and the EU to focus on a few critical areas, with local skills development, with a particular emphasis on vocational training, being one of the key focus areas. He revealed that this agreement was discussed during a bilateral meeting with President von der Leyen on Tuesday when they also explored ways for Namibia and the EU to work together to carve out a pathway for the sustainable development of both economies.
President Geingob further called for the creation of robust supply chains that will allow for the effective trade in goods that have benefited from value addition, emphasizing that this is essential for both EU and Namibian partners to mutually benefit from their collaborative initiatives.
“As we continue to dream and to work for a better tomorrow, it is clear that Namibia has the necessary resource endowments. Together, we are confident that the vision could turn into reality in our lifetime. It is clear that neither party will settle for the trading in unprocessed commodities between one another anymore. Therefore, value addition to Namibia’s natural resources and technology transfer are key priority areas of focus in our pathway,” the president said.
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