Namibia is poised to become the first African nation to operate a fully decarbonized iron plant, powered exclusively by green hydrogen. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) announced their collaboration on the Oshivela project in western Namibia, which has garnered significant support from the German federal government, contributing a substantial 13 million euros.
According to the report, work officially commenced on the continent's inaugural decarbonized iron plant on Monday, marking a significant milestone in sustainable industrial development. The Oshivela project, situated in western Namibia, is projected to yield an impressive annual production of 15,000 tonnes of carbon-free iron.
Namibia's strategic approach to green hydrogen has garnered attention for its goal of achieving cost-effective green iron production. The favorable conditions in Namibia, driven by abundant wind and solar energy resources, have made it an ideal location for green hydrogen production. Minister of Economy and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, emphasized the significance of this endeavor, stating:
"Namibia has ideal conditions for producing green hydrogen with the help of wind and solar energy." He added,
"Since Namibia has large iron ore deposits, green hydrogen can be used to produce green iron cost-effectively in the immediate vicinity of the mining sites - an important preliminary product also for the decarbonization of steel production in Germany."
Namibia's pioneering efforts in sustainable iron production are not only significant for the country but also hold promise for global efforts to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions in the steel industry.