The Opuwo Urban Constituency Councillor, Ueutjerevi Ngunaihe, has expressed dissatisfaction over the criteria set for the Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship programme. Ngunaihe, who was speaking at the information sharing session conducted by the Southern Africa Science Services Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) in Opuwo, stated that the set standards' disadvantage marginalised residents of the Kunene Region.
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, refuted claims that the Green Hydrogen project is being developed in secrecy.
He says the government will continue to engage and share information related to the project so that everyone remains up-to-date with its developments.
Over the past two years, Namibians have been hit by a new craze.
Two words have taken over all major discussions in the country, and everybody wants to understand them and be part of them. That's green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen is also known as renewable hydrogen or clean energy.
It is produced by using renewable energy sources such as wind and sunlight and splitting hydrogen from oxygen through a process called electrolysis of water.
So, basically, there is a water molecule, which is split into oxygen and hydrogen.
Walvis Bay Rural Constituency Councillor Tegako Donatus says traditional and community leaders lack an understanding of what green hydrogen is about, hence the need for more education.
Donatus highlighted this during a meeting at Swakopmund with the Erongo Governor and a German delegation from the Fraunhofer Institute.
Donatus welcomed the emergence of green hydrogen production as an opportunity for economic growth, the development of infrastructure, employment opportunities, and skills transfer.
The global green energy company, Fortescue Future Industries, is proposing a joint venture with the Namibian government to produce electrolysers for Green Hydrogen.
Fortescue Future Industries Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mark Hutchinson, revealed this during a courtesy call on President Hage Geingob at State House.
Electrolysers are apparatus that produce hydrogen through a chemical process, and Namibia would need them in light of its plan to produce green hydrogen.
The Chairperson of the Namibian Hydrogen Council has reiterated that the government is resolute in realising the N$200 billion green hydrogen project.
Obeth Kandjoze denounced as 'small talk' the assertions from some quarters that the project is a pipe dream.
He made the remarks at the consultative meeting with members of the Southern Traditional Community Foundation at Vaalgras in the ||Kharas Region.
The government recently signed an implementation agreement with Hyphen Hydrogen Energy for the green hydrogen project.
Landless People's Movement (LPM) Member of Parliament Henny Seibeb has expressed concern about what he describes as the slow progress of the country's Green Hydrogen programme.
Seibeb questioned whether this project would serve as a padlock for poverty or a key to prosperity.
In his motion on this new initiative in the National Assembly on Wednesday, he stated that despite the signing of the Feasibility Implementation Agreement between Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, the project is, unfortunately, progressing too slowly.
President Hage Geingob has appealed that the Green Hydrogen project be given a chance to take off and change the socio-economic conditions of the two southern regions and the country at large.
The political leadership of the Hardap and ||Kharas Regions also witnessed the signing of the Feasibility and Implementation Agreement.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ipumbu Shiimi clarified that the funding of the Green Hydrogen project is private sector-driven and not from the government coffers.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, in its engagement with GIZ, the German Agency for International Development, has declined a virtual presentation by Green Hydrogen Commissioner James Mnyupe.
The committee had an engagement with GIZ management and consultants on the rollout of green hydrogen, and Mnyupe was to give a presentation on the program he is heading from State House.
Mnyupe is currently on a work assignment in Japan and wanted to do his presentation online, but the Committee would rather wait for him to return and do it in person.
President Hage Geingob has emphasized that the second round of scholarships for studies in Green Hydrogen and related fields would pay specific attention to the ||Kharas and Hardap regions.
Dr. Geingob addressed a community meeting at Luderitz on Friday, where he clarified that he requested a review of the process to ensure inclusivity.
Last month, the government, through funding from the German government, awarded more than 90 scholarships to deserving Namibians to study Green Hydrogen and related fields at institutions of higher learning in Namibia and Germany.
