The Hydrogen Stream: Germany mulls Namibian hydrogen investment

The German government has confirmed the suitability of Hyphen’s hydrogen project in Namibia for potential investment, while Topsoe has completed a 2,000-hour demonstration of 12 solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) stacks.

Image: Enertrag

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The German government has presented a letter of intent (LoI) to Enertrag, endorsing Hyphen's hydrogen plans in Namibia for final approval as a “strategic foreign project” – a status reserved for high-priority global initiatives of interest. “Hyphen's Project is the first building block in realizing Namibia's ambitions to incubate a thriving synthetic fuels industry,” said Namibian Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo. “This letter of intent from the German government is a strong signal, which further emboldens our collective efforts to deepen and diversify our trade relations.”

Topsoe has completed a 2,000-hour demonstration of 12 SOEC stacks with 1,200 cells under industrial conditions to validate their performance in a hydrogen plant. The Danish company said that all cells maintained high stability and temperature levels throughout the test, showcasing the effectiveness of its modular SOEC electrolysis technology.

Sterling Generators and Tecnicas Reunidas have partnered to develop a 1 MWe hydrogen electrolyzer, set for commissioning by the end of this year, with plans for scaling it up to 10 MW. The agreement, signed in India, aims to serve the local market with hydrogen, in line with India's renewable energy goals, said Sanjay Jadhav, CEO of Sterling Generators. The commissioning location for the initial electrolyzer remains undisclosed.

Nikola has inaugurated its first Hyla high-pressure modular refueling station and facility in southern California, operational since February. The company said the station in the Canadian province of Ontario can fuel up to 40 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 8 trucks per day, as part of its plans to develop nine refueling solutions by mid-2024, expanding to 14 by year-end.

Angi Energy Systems has started building a $4 million hydrogen refueling test facility in the US state of Wisconsin. “The new facility will be a cornerstone for R&D activity and will play a pivotal role in the testing, and validation of hydrogen refueling station systems and components – including functional testing of globally standardized SAE J2601 refueling protocols for gaseous hydrogen,” said the US company.

TECO 2030 has secured approval in principle (AIP) from DNV for its compressed hydrogen fuel system design, ensuring its viability and safety. DNV said it will submit tailored documentation for each vessel, subject to the Norwegian company's thorough review and approval before construction and installation.

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