There is plenty of wind and sun on the African continent for the production of green hydrogen. In its National Hydrogen Strategy, the German government is therefore focusing on cooperation with North-West, West and South Africa.
To find out what potential there is for the production and export of green hydrogen in Africa, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has been funding a „Hydrogen Potential Atlas“ since 2020. According to initial results, up to 165,000 TWh of green hydrogen could be produced annually in West Africa alone. This corresponds to 110 times the amount of green hydrogen that Germany will probably have to import in 2050. The solar energy required for this could be produced most cheaply in the northern regions of West Africa, wind energy in the southern regions.
H2 Atlas for West Africa
The H2-Atlas Africa project is the start of a cooperation between the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and African partners in the sub-Saharan region to explore the potential of green hydrogen production. The aim is also to support sustainable and economic development on the African continent through a stable hydrogen economy, which will enable Africa to strengthen its importance on the international energy markets as an exporter of green hydrogen. Forschungszentrum Jülich as well as experts from the renewable energy centres of the regional government agencies (ECREEE and SACREEE) and their respective competence service centres for climate change and adapted land use (WASCAL and SASSCAL) are involved in the project. The potentials can be viewed interactively in the H2-Atlas.
Green hydrogen from Morocco
The strategy is being implemented in Morocco. In March 2021, the hydrogen cluster Green H2 Maroc was established, and in December 2021, the decision was made to set up the Green H2A technology platform. The Green H2A platform is intended as an industrial innovation hub based on innovative techniques and methodologies to promote the hydrogen ecosystem in Morocco. The main objective of the GreenH2 cluster is to promote the hydrogen industry in Morocco, in particular by initiating, monitoring and coordinating innovative cooperation projects in the field of green hydrogen in the Kingdom of Morocco and abroad.
Hydrogen economy to be installed in Namibia
Since October 2022, scientists, and consultants from the Dechema and ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research have been analysing the means by which a hydrogen economy can be successfully established in Namibia and the possibilities for exporting it to Germany.
Within the framework of a study, which will be developed over the next two and a half years, the project partners will analyse aspects of the production, conversion and transport of Green Hydrogen in Namibia. The goal of the study is to investigate the potential of a Green Hydrogen industry – including innovative seawater desalination technologies on site – as well as possibilities for hydrogen export to Germany.
While Dechema focuses on the technical aspects of hydrogen production and water management as well as studies on market development, ISOE provides support in the area of transformation management and social-ecological impacts. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of its strategy to expand international hydrogen partnerships.
Namibia with optimal conditions
For example, initial calculations show that Namibia has optimal conditions for generating wind and solar energy and thus producing green hydrogen. Namibia itself aims to export Green Hydrogen before 2025. In addition to the potential offered by the production of Green Hydrogen, the social and ecological risks, such as water and land use conflicts, must also be evaluated. This assessment will be carried out by the cooperation partner ISOE.
If the study succeeds in demonstrating the feasibility of hydrogen production and the planned export, the concept can be transferred to other regions. This would create a basis for the worldwide development of the hydrogen economy. Green Hydrogen would thus make an important contribution to climate neutrality as well as to the socio-economic development of the Global South.
