Namibia has started construction on the Oshivela iron project, which is powered exclusively by green hydrogen, and is the first industrial iron production facility with net zero emissions in Africa.
Located in western Namibia, the facility will produce 15,000 tons of iron per annum with plans in place to increase output to one million tons per annum in the future. The project is supported by Germany with the country providing 13 million euros towards its development. Production is slated to begin by Q4, 2024.
Utilizing HyIron technology, a German-Namibian partnership that processes iron in a rotary kiln, Oshivela employs direct reduction techniques with green hydrogen. The modularity of this technology allows for a substantial increase in production capacity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8 million tons per year.
In the project’s first phase, a 20 MW solar plant will power the facility, with a further 18 MW of wind-powered energy and 140 MW of solar planned for subsequent phases of the development. Processed iron will be exported to Germany and used, among other ways, as a preliminary product in steel production.
According to Christine Hoebes, Minister in the Presidency of Namibia, “The production of iron with zero emissions positions Namibia as a leader in environmentally responsible industrial practices, creating economic opportunities and enhancing living standards in the nation.”