The French major independent power producer, HDF Energy, says its Renewstable® Swakopmund project will cost N$4.5 billion.
HDF Energy director for Southern Africa, Nicolas Lecomte, told a local radio station that the project is set to start production in 2027.
Lecomte also said the project is expected to create 500 direct jobs, 550 during the construction phase over two years, and between 50 and 100 jobs for the operation phase.
The project will run for at least 25 years, generating 142 GWh/year and 1400 tons of green hydrogen annually.
Renewstable® Swakopmund project is an 85 MWp solar PV with a storage capacity of 230 MWh.
About 140,000 inhabitants will benefit from Africa’s first multi-MW hydrogen power plant project.
The Renewstable® Swakopmund project will also have a training centre.
HDF Energy’s Renewstable® power plants deliver non-intermittent renewable, stable, and baseload power by seamlessly integrating intermittent renewable energy sources with substantial on-site energy storage in the form of green hydrogen.
Moreover, HDF Energy is also developing extensive infrastructure for the mass production of carbon-free hydrogen.
Backed by a team of over 150 hydrogen experts boasting over a decade of operational experience across the value chain, HDF Energy is developing a portfolio of projects valued at over €5 billion.
Headquartered in France, HDF Energy has regional offices in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, with over 35 nationalities among its staff.
The group was listed on the Euronext Paris stock market in 2021.
HDF is a specialist in fuel cell technology, with its proton exchange membrane (PEM), which offers the best ratio between electrical power output, lifetime, and cost.
A PEM fuel cell uses an electrochemical reaction to convert green hydrogen and oxygen from the air into carbon-free electricity and water.
The fuel cell requires three supply circuits: hydrogen, oxygen, and cooling water.
The electrical energy produced by the electrochemical reaction is then processed to suit the final application.
PEM fuel cells stand out for their remarkable performance at lower temperatures, enabling swift start-up and immediate responses to fluctuations in power demand.
This feature makes them ideally suited for both mobile and stationary applications.
The company also has the HDF FC 15, which has been designed in partnership with Ballard Power Systems to meet the demands of energy-intensive applications. Fueled with hydrogen, it can generate up to 1.5 MW of clean, emissions-free electricity.
With minimal energy loss and exceptional efficiency, our fuel cell technology maximises productivity.
The fuel cells can replace diesel engine locomotives. HDF has partnered strategically with CAPTRAIN, a French railway company Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français subsidiary, to retrofit diesel to zero-emission hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives.
The first project under development, Hyshunt, combines CAPTRAIN’s locomotives and HDF’s fuel cells.
Another partnership is with European locomotive retrofit expert Digas to jointly design and develop hydrogen freight locomotives and offer a genuine alternative to polluting diesel-powered locomotives.
Digas is a Latvian-based company with 15 years of proven engineering, certification, and commissioning experience in retrofitting all high-horsepower vehicles.
It is the first company in the European Union to certify a retrofitted gaseous fuel locomotive.
HDF is jointly designing and manufacturing hydrogen-powered boats with Cano Lanza Yacht Design and Hynaval at a shipyard based in the port of Bordeaux, France.
This collaboration will merge Cano Lanza Yacht Design’s naval architecture expertise with HDF Energy’s mastery in the hydrogen domain.
