European energy commissioner Kadri Simson (left) and Namibian mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo (right) at a signing ceremony.
The EU’s energy commissioner Kadri Simson has signed agreements for a total of €53.9m funding from the bloc for green hydrogen and renewables in Africa, of which €36.9m has been pegged for investments in Namibia.
The bloc has pledged €50m to Namibian and South African hydrogen-focused funds, including €25m for the SDG Namibia One fund, one of the backers behind the 3GW Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project.
However, the recipients of the remaining €25m have yet to be confirmed.
Simson also signed off on a €1.2m grant agreement for Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Programme and €2.7m via the EU's “Get.transform” technical assistance programme for wider renewable energy deployment in the country.
The EU last year pledged €1bn in public and private finance, including from its Global Gateway initiative, towards Namibia’s energy transition.
These developments showcase that governments around the world are backing hydrogen as the fuel of the future.