Namibia’s vast deserts, abundant sunshine and powerful Atlantic winds have positioned the country as one of Africa’s most promising destinations for green hydrogen investment. Multi-billion-dollar projects are expected to transform the country’s economy and establish it as a major exporter of clean energy.
But as investors race to develop the sector, questions are growing over whether these mega-projects can protect fragile ecosystems, safeguard scarce water resources and ensure that local communities share in the benefits.
Hydrogen acts as an energy carrier, similar to a battery, storing energy that can later be converted into electricity or heat. Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and can be used to power industry, transportation, and energy storage systems. Green hydrogen could help to reduce emissions in sectors where traditional renewable electricity solutions are not always practical, including maritime shipping, aviation, and agriculture. It can be converted into green ammonia for cleaner shipping fuels and sustainable fertilizer production, or used to produce synthetic fuels that could support lower-carbon aviation.
According to Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2) programme officer Simran Sinha, environmental protection and community engagement must be treated as central pillars of project development rather than compliance requirements.
The Green Hydrogen Organisation is an international non-profit foundation working to accelerate the production and use of green hydrogen globally. GH2 collaborates with governments, producers, financial institutions and civil society to promote key applications such as green fertilisers, shipping fuels and green iron and steel. Founded in 2021, GH2 has established a presence in Geneva, London, Jakarta, Nairobi and Oslo. It serves as the secretariat for the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA), a government-led platform uniting eleven African countries to drive regional cooperation on green hydrogen. GH2 is a founding member of the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA).
“From GH2’s perspective, environmental and social performance is not separate from project success. Our recent work on project bankability in emerging hydrogen markets has shown that addressing environmental permitting, biodiversity, community engagement and benefit sharing early significantly reduces project risk and improves the likelihood of reaching Final Investment Decision. Likewise, our contracting guidance recommends integrating sustainable development outcomes and land management requirements directly into project agreements, rather than treating them as separate compliance exercises,” Sinha tells The Energy Pioneer.
Protecting fragile ecosystems
Sinha says every large-scale hydrogen development should undergo comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) that comply with Namibian legislation as well as international standards such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and World Bank Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines.
The assessments, Sinha explains, should include biodiversity baseline studies, mapping of environmentally sensitive areas, cumulative impact assessments and mitigation measures that prioritise avoiding environmental damage before considering restoration or biodiversity offsets.
The Hyphen Green Hydrogen Project is Namibia’s first integrated green hydrogen to green ammonia project, located in the Tsau Khaeb National Park. The project will produce green hydrogen using renewable energy, which can then be converted into green ammonia. Home to hyenas, whales, seals, and dolphins, the area will require continuous ecological monitoring throughout construction and operation to protect its unique biodiversity.
Water remains a critical challenge
Water scarcity remains one of the biggest concerns surrounding Namibia’s hydrogen ambitions. Rather than relying on already limited freshwater supplies, current plans propose using seawater desalination to provide water for electrolysis.
“Current plans for large export projects are based primarily on seawater desalination rather than the use of scarce freshwater resources. Several feasibility studies, including work undertaken for the Namibian government, conclude that desalination represents the most appropriate long term water supply solution for coastal hydrogen production. Hyphen has similarly proposed dedicated desalination infrastructure to supply its operations,” Sinha says.
However, Sinha cautions that desalination is not without environmental consequences. Projects, Sinha says, must demonstrate that freshwater used by local communities is not displaced, marine ecosystems are protected through responsible seawater intake and brine discharge systems, desalination plants are powered by renewable electricity wherever possible, and water demand is continuously monitored.
GH2 also believes hydrogen projects should contribute to broader water security by exploring opportunities for shared infrastructure that benefits surrounding communities.
“At GH2, we believe projects should be assessed not only on whether sufficient water exists for hydrogen production, but also on whether water governance supports equitable access and delivers wider social value,” she says.
Transparency beyond project approval
“While reporting requirements ultimately depend on permit conditions and financing agreements, we believe monitoring results should be made publicly available wherever possible. Transparency helps build public confidence, strengthens accountability and reduces uncertainty for investors, governments and local communities alike,” says Sinha.
Sinha explained that environmental monitoring should continue throughout the life of a project rather than ending once permits are granted.
“Good practice includes legally binding Environmental and Social Management Plans, regular compliance reporting to regulators, independent audits, biodiversity monitoring, water quality monitoring, labour and occupational safety reporting, and ongoing stakeholder engagement,” she says.
Winning community trust
Sinha says meaningful community engagement should begin well before construction and continue throughout the project lifecycle.
“This includes providing accessible information, consulting affected communities early enough to influence project design, ensuring participation by women and vulnerable groups, and establishing clear benefit sharing arrangements wherever appropriate,” she says.
Equally important are grievance mechanisms that are transparent, culturally appropriate, independent and easy to access. Communities should be able to raise concerns throughout construction and operation without fear of retaliation, and developers should demonstrate how grievances are addressed and resolved.
“GH2’s guidance on community consultation recommends that engagement moves beyond one off consultation exercises towards long term partnerships with affected communities. Social licence should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a regulatory requirement completed during permitting,” she says.
Looking beyond exports
While Namibia’s exceptional wind and solar resources have attracted international investors, GH2 believes the country’s greatest opportunity extends beyond exporting hydrogen.
Sinha says green hydrogen should become a catalyst for industrial development by supporting industries such as green fertiliser production, green iron and steel manufacturing, sustainable aviation fuels and other hard-to-abate sectors.
Such an approach, Sinha argues, would create more skilled jobs, increase domestic value addition and strengthen Namibia’s long-term industrial competitiveness.
However, success will ultimately depend on more than ambitious announcements.
“Across our work in Africa, we have consistently found that the principal barriers are not the availability of capital, but revenue certainty, bankability, permitting, infrastructure readiness and effective risk allocation,” Sinha says.
For Namibia to realise its green hydrogen ambitions, Sinha says environmental integrity, community participation and local value creation must be embedded into projects from the outset.
“If these foundations are established early,” Sinha says, “green hydrogen can become not only a clean energy opportunity but also a driver of sustainable industrial development across Namibia and Africa.”
As Namibia moves to position itself as Sub-Saharan Africa’s green hydrogen hub, the country’s success will be measured not only by the billions of dollars it attracts or the tonnes of hydrogen it exports, but also by how well it protects its fragile ecosystems, safeguards scarce water resources and ensures that local communities share in the benefits.
For green hydrogen, the opportunity lies in creating cleaner alternatives for industries that cannot rely solely on renewable electricity, while ensuring that large-scale development is carried out in a socially responsible way that creates lasting benefits for the communities and the economy of Namibia.
