Windhoek, Namibia– In a significant step towards realizing Namibia’s green energy ambitions, President Nangolo Mbumba yesterday inaugurated eleven 120-metre meteorological masts at the Tsau khaeb National Park, near Lüderitz in the Kharas region. These installations mark a pivotal advancement for the landmark 3GW green hydrogen project developed by Hyphen Hydrogen Energy.
The newly inaugurated Hyphen Meteorological Mast, accompanied by advanced sensor equipment, is set to play a crucial role in assessing the renewable energy potential of the region. By capturing comprehensive data on wind and solar resources, Hyphen aims to enhance the project’s financial viability and further solidify Namibia’s position as a leader in green industrialization.
Expressing his optimism at the ceremony, President Mbumba highlighted the importance of this development in Namibia’s journey towards producing green hydrogen. “The measurement of the wind has begun, paving the way for green hydrogen production in our nation,” he stated.
Equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, the 120m tall MetMasts will gather essential data on wind speed, temperature, humidity, and solar irradiation. This information is vital for understanding the area’s wind resource adequacy, which is expected to be a major source of renewable electricity for the multi-billion dollar Hyphen project.
Hyphen CEO Marco Raffinettti said : “We are appreciative of His Excellency’s support for this transformative project and for honouring us today by officially launching our resource measurement campaign.
“This is a very ambitious project as evidenced by the fact that we believe that this met-mast campaign is one of the largest single wind field measurement campaigns ever undertaken globally.”
Green Hydrogen Commissioner James Mnyupe revealed that some masts have been outfitted with LiDAR technology to monitor bat and bird activity, underscoring the project’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
“This marks a seminal moment in Namibia’s history as it further etches itself in the history books as an African pioneer of a green industrialization agenda,” Commissioner Mnyupe said.
Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, a joint venture between Nicholas Holdings Limited and ENERTRAG, has been appointed by the government as the preferred bidder to develop Namibia’s inaugural large-scale export green hydrogen project within two concession areas in the Tsau //khaeb National Park. When operating at full capacity, the project is expected to produce 350,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, with the Namibian government holding a 24% equity stake.
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