Green hydrogen, made from Namib sun and Atlantic wind.
Luderitz Green Energies is building an integrated production and export facility in Lüderitz, designed to deliver 300,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year to Europe and Asia.
- green hydrogen a year
- 300,000 t
- solar and wind capacity
- 8 GWp
- capillary electrolysis
- 3.5 GW
- CO₂ displaced a year
- ~3.5 Mt
A flagship for Namibia's green industry
Luderitz Green Energies (Pty) Ltd is planning a hydrogen production facility in the Lüderitz municipal area, making green energy available at industrial scale for international businesses and energy suppliers.
We are a German-Namibian private-sector joint venture with no state partners. That independence lets us respond quickly as markets change. Our first focus is the export of hydrogen products, and we produce pure hydrogen only: no ammonia, no fertiliser.
- Sustainability
- Excellence
- Inclusivity
- Integrity
- Innovation
- Company
- Luderitz Green Energies (Pty) Ltd
- Ownership
- German-Namibian private joint venture
- Registered
- Republic of Namibia
- Site
- Lüderitz, ǁKaras Region
- Product
- Gaseous and liquid hydrogen for export
- Stage
- Early development
Mission
Develop, own and operate world-class renewable energy and green hydrogen infrastructure in Namibia, delivering clean, reliable hydrogen to global markets while creating lasting value for Namibian communities.
Vision
Be Africa's leading green hydrogen exporter, with Lüderitz recognised as a premier hub for clean fuel production.
Europe needs to import hydrogen at scale
Germany and the EU cannot meet demand from domestic production alone. Imports from resource-rich partners are a stated priority, and Namibia has signed agreements with Germany and the European Commission on green hydrogen cooperation.
Sources: German National Hydrogen Strategy (2023 update) and Import Strategy (2024); TransHyDE flagship project. LGE supply based on 300,000 t H₂ a year.
- Germany
- European Union
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- South Korea
Half or more must be imported
Germany expects to import 50–70% of its 2030 hydrogen demand, even after raising domestic electrolysis targets to at least 10 GW.
The network is being built
More than 9,000 km of hydrogen pipelines are planned in Germany by 2032, linking import points to industry and power plants.
Asia is a second market
Japan targets 12 Mt a year of hydrogen supply by 2040 and South Korea 5.26 Mt, both favouring long-term contracts with stable producers.
Namibia is close
About 7,000 nautical miles to Europe, compared with 11,500 from Chile and 17,000 from Australia.
One site, from sun and wind to the ship
Every stage sits on one integrated site near the coast, sized for around 6,000 full-load hours of hydrogen production a year.
-
Solar power
Photovoltaics in the desert hinterland supply half the energy mix, linked to the plant by 525 kV HVDC lines. Irradiance here exceeds 2,900 kWh/m² a year.
4 GWp~8.3 TWh a year -
Wind power
Wind farms on the coastal strip south of Lüderitz, where winds blow steadily at 8–10 m/s, avoiding the sand abrasion that forces inland turbines to shut down.
4 GWp~8.3 TWh a year -
Storage
Large-scale sodium-ion batteries stabilise the internal grid and keep electrolysers running through calm spells and at night.
Sodium-iongrid-scale storage -
Desalination
Seawater reverse osmosis with energy recovery at about 3 kWh/m³. No freshwater is taken from local sources, and surplus drinking water could go to the town.
2.7 million m³process water a year -
Capillary electrolysis
Hysata's bubble-free capillary-fed process: about 95% efficient, using around 20% less energy than conventional electrolysis, with a much simpler plant.
3.5 GW41.5 kWh per kg H₂ -
Liquefaction and export
Hydrogen is compressed, purified and liquefied at −253 °C, stored in cryogenic tanks and loaded at our own dock beside the plant, which also takes in the seawater.
Own terminalgaseous H₂ and LH₂
Where the energy goes
The site needs about 16.7 TWh of renewable electricity a year. Three-quarters of it goes into electrolysis itself.
- Electrolysis 12.45 TWh
- Compression and liquefaction 2.40 TWh
- Storage and transport 0.90 TWh
- Site operations 0.90 TWh
Why capillary electrolysis
Energy needed for our 300,000 t target with each technology. Capillary electrolysis saves up to 3.45 TWh a year compared with alkaline systems.
| Measure | Alkaline (AEL) | PEM | High-temp. (SOEC) | Capillary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | 60–70% | 65–75% | 80% | 95% (lab 98%) |
| Energy use | 53.0 kWh/kg | 48.0 kWh/kg | 46.0 kWh/kg | 41.5 kWh/kg |
| For 300,000 t | 15.90 TWh/yr | 14.40 TWh/yr | 13.80 TWh/yr | 12.45 TWh/yr |
| Strengths | Proven and robust | Suits variable solar and wind | Can use waste heat | Highest efficiency, lithium-free, minimal cooling |
| Limitations | Slow response, high cooling | High cooling | Complex plant, high cooling | Industrial rollout from 2027 |
Capillary electrolysis is being trialled at industrial scale with Forschungszentrum Jülich under the HyGATE initiative. The independent final report is expected in December 2026.
Why Lüderitz
Few places combine sun, steady wind, open land and direct Atlantic access the way Lüderitz does. The plant will sit close to the coast to keep hydrogen transport short.
- Sun
- Over 2,900 kWh/m² a year, with clear skies on more than 300 days
- Wind
- 8–10 m/s at 100 m along the coast; 45–55% capacity factor projected
- Sea access
- Our own loading dock for ships and seawater intake
- Route to Europe
- About 7,000 nautical miles
- Skills
- NUST campus in Lüderitz: renewable energy, water, logistics, IT
- Connections
- B4 national road from Keetmanshoop; NamPower HV grid
- AProduction site and dock
- BWind farm 1, coastal
- CWind farm 2
- DPhotovoltaics
The road to first hydrogen
An indicative schedule, to be finalised after the feasibility assessment and coordination with the relevant Namibian authorities.
Partners and validation
Off-take roadshow in the EU, Germany, Japan and South Korea; EPC and electrolyser shortlist; Jülich report on capillary electrolysis.
Land, permits, finance
Land allocation with Lüderitz Town Council, ESIA scoping, bankable feasibility study and targeted financial close.
Construction starts
Ten work packages delivered in parallel to keep construction time short.
Training begins
Workforce training and student working groups with NUST, well ahead of production.
First exports
Commissioning, first shipments and ramp-up to 300,000 t a year.
The ten work packages
- Desalination
- Loading and intake dock
- Gas and water storage
- Wind
- Photovoltaics
- Electrical storage
- Electrolysis
- Cooling and compression
- Office building
- Workers' camp
Good for the climate, good for Lüderitz
Skills and education
At least 600 university-qualified employees at the start of production. We will work with the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Lüderitz from the start of construction, including student working groups on the project.
Community
Unemployment in Lüderitz is around 50%. A Community Development Fund of 1% of annual revenue will invest in education, healthcare, water and skills, and we target over 80% Namibian permanent staff.
Certified green
We will seek EU RFNBO certification with independent auditors such as TÜV SÜD or DNV, and carry out a full ESIA under Namibia's EMA and IFC Performance Standards, using seawater only.
The team behind LGE
German engineering and project experience, combined with Namibian operational and policy expertise.
Andreas Schmidt
Chief Executive Officer
MBA and project manager; renewable energy developer with more than 20 years' experience.
Jerekandje Amwaandangi
Chief Operating Officer
Green hydrogen plant operations.
Andreas Mehlhorn
Chief Technical Officer
Civil engineer; electrolyser and renewables engineering.
Sean Schmidt
Chief Financial Officer
Project finance specialist with development-finance experience.
Elizabeth Twiindileni Kambode
Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs
Namibian policy expert.
The board will have at least five directors, including independent non-executives, with a minimum of 50% Namibian representation. It is supported by an Audit and Risk Committee and a Social and Environmental Committee.
Build this project with us
We are looking for partners to co-develop Lüderitz green hydrogen.
- Off-takersLong-term hydrogen supply contracts
- Strategic investorsDevelopment finance institutions, climate and infrastructure funds
- Technology and EPC partnersElectrolysis, renewables, desalination
- Government and institutionsPolicy, permitting and skills