STAFF WRITER
Minister of Industries Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse has singled out Green Hydrogen as a key driver of industrial growth in Namibia.
Speaking at the 16th session of the International Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA) in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend Amutse said Namibia has set a target to achieve a 70% energy mix by 2030 driven by clean energy sources.
“Namibia’s energy transition is firmly anchored on renewable energy. As a country endowed with world-class solar and wind resources, we have set a national target to achieve 70 percent renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030, supported by deliberate policy and regulatory reforms to unlock investment,” Amutse said.
He said the country’s energy priorities are captured in the Modified Single Buyer model, which has opened the electricity market to greater private sector participation while maintaining system stability and oversight.
“As a result, a growing number of independent power producers and private developers have taken up opportunities to invest in renewable generation, contributing to increased capacity, diversification of the energy mix, and reduced reliance on imports.
“This also paved the path for IPPs to generate renewable electricity in Namibia and export it to neighbouring countries,” he said.
According to Amutse, green hydrogen represents a strategic opportunity for Namibia to deepen industrialisation and participate in emerging global low-carbon value chains.
“Namibia has developed a Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, which outlines priority project areas, enabling infrastructure requirements, regulatory and institutional measures, and skills development needs.
“Our approach focuses on leveraging green hydrogen to support domestic industrial applications—such as green steel and fertilisers—while also positioning Namibia as a future exporter of green hydrogen and its derivatives,” he said.
He said Namibia is proud to achieved in green hydrogen-based steel productionl. “This achievement demonstrates our country’s capacity to integrate renewable energy with advanced green hydrogen technologies to support industrialisation, create quality jobs, and generate high- value products for both domestic use and future export markets,” he said.
Amutse said while large-scale green hydrogen production is still under development, this success underscores the transformative potential of Namibia’s renewable resources to drive industrial growth, economic diversification, and anchor a resilient and low-carbon future.
He also congratulated Joel Santos, Minister of Energy and Mines of the Dominican Republic for assuming the position of President of the 16th Session of the Assembly.
“As a trusted partner, IRENA provides evidence-based analysis, technical assistance, policy guidance, and platforms for cooperation that are critical to our energy transition. Its support to African countries in energy planning, capacity building, and investment facilitation has been instrumental in turning ambition into tangible action,” he said.
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