Namibia and Belgium have made history by inaugurating the first green hydrogen fuel station and production plant near Walvis Bay.

President Nangolo Mbumba and the King of the Belgians lauded the Cleanergy Solutions initiative, which has positioned Namibia as a frontrunner in the global green hydrogen economy.

Cleanergy Solutions Namibia is a joint venture between local company Ohlthaver and List Group and Belgian CMB Tech.

Six months ago, when the late President Hage Geingob visited the site, there was slight progress.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) says there is a need to unlock a grant investment model that can sustain environmental projects for communities beyond their funding cycle. 

Benedict Libanda said this during an information-sharing session at the Government Information Centre.

Libanda says at least 35% to 40% of the environmentally sustainable projects for communities funded by the EIF face sustainability challenges. 

Namibia is leading the way in the implementation of Green Hydrogen in the SADC region.

During the Green Hydrogen Symposium held in Windhoek, industry players emphasized that the success of Green Hydrogen demand in SADC relies on the collaboration between countries.

The European Union (EU) is ready to support the implementing agency for the agreement on critical and sustainable raw materials as well as that for Green Hydrogen.

The Head of the EU Delegation in Namibia, Ambassador Sinikka Antila, and President Hage Geingob discussed this during a courtesy call at State House.

Namibia and the European Union signed a partnership on sustainable raw material value chains and renewable hydrogen in 2022 at the COP27 meeting in Egypt.

The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has reaffirmed its commitment to invest five billion dollars in renewable energy.

GIPF CEO and Principal Officer, David Nuyoma, made the pronouncement during the official opening of GIPF's satellite office at Mariental.

The value of Namibia's potential private investment pipeline currently stands at N$161 billion. 73% of this is said to be in renewable energy. 

The Chief Executive Officer of the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Nangula Uaandja, said this when she addressed a media conference in Windhoek.

Uaandja says the potential private investment pipeline represents the value of private projects facilitated by the board.

Sahrawi and Namibia could cooperate in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture, and fisheries.

However, this economic potential is being hindered by the Moroccan occupation of that country.

These were the sentiments expressed by that country's Ambassador to South Africa, Mohamed Beisat on the sideline of the Swapo Elective Congress.

Ambassador Beisat commended Namibians for their continued support to the Sahrawi people and their rights for self-determination. 

With a host of newly discovered energy sources in Namibia, including oil, gas, and green hydrogen, the Bank of Namibia's annual symposium has dissected how to maximize economic growth from renewable and non-renewable energy sources in the country.

The annual symposium was aimed at promoting policy dialogue supportive of sustainable economic development in the country. 

It also created a platform for stakeholders to debate issues critical to the country's economic development.