Southern Africa owes a debt of gratitude to Namibia for taking the lead in the drawing up of the hydrogen atlas for the region. The generosity of the German government to fund the project also needs to be highlighted.
Early indications are that the region is tailor-made for renewable energy and green hydrogen generation, which translates into a low-cost energy opportunity. That is just what the doctor ordered for South Africa, in particular. Paying a fortune to import hydrocarbons to power mobility is a real drag on any economy.
With the advent of green electrons from the sun and wind and green molecules from turning the renewable energy into green hydrogen, a new era of energy independence is there for the taking. When the solar and wind are combined, there are few countries that can take South Africa on as a potential low-cost energy provider, and Namibia’s leadership has helped us to firm up the energy hot spots.