Inside Africa's First Green Hydrogen Plant

In this video, we visit one of the world's most promising energy projects: CMB.Tech's green hydrogen plant in Walvis Bay, Namibia. The off-grid facility is the first of its kind in Africa, using water from the sea and solar energy from the Namib Desert to produce green hydrogen for mobility applications today and, ultimately, for international shipping. Global shipping generates more than twice the annual CO₂ emissions of a major industrialized nation such as Germany. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty continue to drive up the cost of fossil fuels. CMB.TECH, one of the world's biggest shipping groups operating a fleet of around 250 vessels, is pursuing an alternative path by investing in the development of a new hydrogen economy. On site, we meet the people behind the project. Roy Campe, CTO of CMB.TECH, explains the company's vision and why it is investing in alternative fuels. Chief Engineer Hange Mberitjiua shows how the off-grid facility operates on a day-to-day basis. Yullen Govender from Siemens discusses the role of digitalization and automation, while Konrad from turnkey provider IAE shares the challenges of delivering a project of this scale in Africa for the first time. Today, the facility combines a 5 MW solar plant, a 5 MW battery storage system, and an electrolyzer that produces green hydrogen. Siemens supplied key technologies including a digital twin and the automation infrastructure, enabling around 80% of the plant's processes to run automatically. But this project goes far beyond the current facility. CMB.TECH plans to scale production to 500 MW. In the long term, the hydrogen produced here is expected to be converted into green ammonia and used as fuel for large ocean-going vessels. The video also explores the opportunities a hydrogen economy could create for Namibia. And as Johannes Shimbilinga, Mayor of Walvis Bay, explains, the project could become a catalyst for jobs, skills development, local value creation, and new investments, helping position not only Walvis Bay but Namibia as a whole as an important energy exporter in the global energy transition. 00:00:00 Introduction: Global Trade and Shipping 00:00:32 The Case for Cleaner Shipping 00:00:44 Welcome to the Namibian Desert 00:01:25 CMB.tech's Green Hydrogen Vision 00:02:04 Strategy Behind the Decision: CTO Roy Kampe 00:02:44 Inside the Hydrogen Plant in Walvis Bay 00:03:31 How the Off-Grid System Works 00:04:25 Namibia's Green Hydrogen Program 00:04:49 Challenges of Pioneering New Technology 00:05:34 Partnerships: IAE and Siemens 00:06:58 Scaling Up: The Road to 500 MW 00:07:52 Hydrogen in Use Today: Trucks, Trains, and Marine 00:08:32 What It Means for Walvis Bay: The Mayor's Perspective 00:09:36 The H2 Academy: Building Local Talent 00:10:27 Closing: Decarbonizing Transport and Creating Opportunity