APA-Maputo (Mozambique) United Kingdom-based zero-emissions energy company Jearrard Energy Resources (JER) and its Mozambique unit Connect Plus Energy LDA are developing a 12 gigawatt (GW) solar-to-hydrogen facility in the southeastern African country that is forecast to have peak production of over 4,000 tonnes of hydrogen per day.
In a statement on Monday, JER operations director Johann Kamp said work on the facility is expected to commence during the first quarter of 2024.
“Jearrard Energy Resources and its subsidiaries are developing green Hydrogen facilities in Southern Africa starting in Q1-2024 in Mozambique where the company has acquired sufficient land to construct a 12 GW peak solar to hydrogen facility, which will produce over 4,000 tonnes of hydrogen per day,” Kamp said.
Land for the mega facility, estimated at around 10,000 hectares, has been secured in Inhambane province, with the hydrogen produced expected to be piped to a proposed new port at Morrumbene for export.
“Three hydrogen terminals are envisaged for short-term export of hydrogen,” Kamp said.
Green hydrogen is produced by utilising renewable sources like wind, photovoltaic solar and wave power to provide electricity for the production of hydrogen.
“All of these facilities will be linked to Hydrogen export terminals through Pipelines interconnecting various production facilities,” the official said.
He said this would be “followed by expanded facilities in Mozambique and new opportunities in Southern Africa, including South Africa, commencing in Q3 2024.”
The projects would bring Mozambique and South Africa into the southern African green hydrogen market, joining Namibia which earlier this year commenced work on developing a plant.
Long-considered the final frontier for energy, Africa’s significant renewable energy resources offer critical opportunities for the continent to address energy access concerns through development of widespread solar and wind energy systems, as well as industrialisation through the utilisation of green hydrogen fuels.
Green hydrogen projects have been cropping up across the continent, with markets such as South Africa, Mauritania and Egypt eager to capitalize on the benefits the resource provides.
JN/APA