Page 13 - AfrElec Week 34 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

combat energy poverty as a southern African nation’s enormous solar and
HYDRO communiqué of intent to build up the
Inga II hydro plant to power priority wind energy potential, and then ramp up its
green hydrogen economy.
Kamoa-Kakula copper mine Mohammed Barkindo, Secretary General €40m ($47m) in support from Germany’s
The science ministry will provide up to
of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting
Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, a subsidiary of Countries (OPEC) has urged African oil- post-Covid economic stimulus programme
Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines, producing countries to continue developing for the partnership, Karliczek pledged.
has decided to pursue an existing financing their energy sector activities and reassured “There is already a race around the world
agreement with the Société nationale that OPEC will continue to serve as a viable for the best hydrogen technologies and the
d’électricité (Snel) of the Democratic Republic partner and “assist [them] in whatever way best locations for hydrogen production,” she
of Congo (DRC). possible.” said.
Ivanhoe Mines Energy will rehabilitate Speaking during a meeting at the Republic “From our point of view, Namibia has
turbine 5 of the Inga II hydroelectric power of the Congo’s National Oil Company, Société particularly good chances in this competition.
plant to supply the Kamoa-Kakula copper nationale des pétroles du Congo (SNPC), We want to use them together.”
mine in the Lualaba province in the south of as part of a historic three day OPEC and Namibia, while not yet a renewables
the DRC. African Energy Chamber delegation to the hotspot like Australia, also has very favourable
The consortium led by German hydro country on Monday, he highlighted the role conditions. The African nation is very sparsely
specialist Voith Hydro also includes of oil and gas in the development of Africa’s populated with only only 2.5mn inhabitants,
Stucky SA, a company based in Lausanne, energy industry, as well as global energy and boasts more than 3,500 hours of sun, plus
Switzerland. Voith Hydro will act as the security. H.E. Barkindo further pointed out strong winds.
project contractor. Stucky will provide that while improvements in renewable energy Those conditions would enable production
engineering, procurement and construction technologies have been made, the oil and gas of green hydrogen via electrolysis at a price of
management (EPCM) services. industry remains the primary road out of €1.50-2.00 per kg ($1.76-2.34) – the cheapest
Voith Hydro and Stucky have commenced widespread energy and economic deprivation. in the world, according to Karliczek, who said
an engineering assessment to define the scope “OPEC categorially rejects the the expected production prices in Namibia
of work and associated cost estimates. The narrative that the energy transition is from would be even more competitive than in
turbine is expected to have a capacity of 162 hydrocarbons to renewables,” said H.E. renewable hydrogen front-runner countries
MW when completed, and the work will also Barkindo, adding that “all sources of energy Chile and Australia. Some analysts, however,
include upgrading the terminal equipment on are required today in order to meet the have warned that pricing assumptions of
the Inga-Kolwezi transmission line to increase challenges of climate change and the future green hydrogen mega-projects are based on
its transfer capacity by a minimum of 200 demand for energy.” over-optimistic assumptions.
MW. Given that the global population is “The [German] National Hydrogen
“Kamoa Copper’s management team said to increase by 1.7bn people by 2045 Council estimates that German industry
continues to execute our strategic plan with the majority coming from Africa, it alone, excluding refineries, will have a
to systematically develop Kamoa-Kakula remains crucial that countries like the Congo hydrogen requirement of 1.7mn tonnes per
into one of the world’s largest and most strengthen their energy industries to respond year by 2030, which will continue to increase
environmentally friendly copper producers. efficiently to current and future challenges. thereafter,” Karliczek said.
The timely refurbishment of turbine 5 at the Congo’s efforts to boost its oil and gas sector,
Inga II hydroelectric complex is critical to as well as SNCP’s activities have been praised
achieving our expansion goals over the next by the Secretary General.
few years,” says Robert Martin Friedland, ECP is live covering AEC’s and OPEC’s SOL AR
founder of Ivanhoe Mines. historic visit to the Republic of Congo as it
As part of their financing agreement, Snel launches it’s own initiatives to promote the Middle East & African solar
and Ivanhoe Mines Energy have already country’s energy sector.
rehabilitated the market reaches $2.2bn in
78 MW Mwadingusha hydroelectric plant.
The electricity supplied by Inga II’s turbine 2020
5 is expected to provide the Kamoa-Kakula HYDROGEN
copper mine with 240 MW of power. In total, The Middle East & Africa solar photovoltaic
this hydroelectric plant has eight turbines of Germany eyes world’s (PV) market size was $2.19bn in 2020. The
175 MW each, for a total capacity of 1,400 market is projected to grow from $3.47bn in
MW. cheapest green hydrogen 2021 to $22.68bn in 2028 at a CAGR of 30.8%
in the 2021-2028 period. This information
from Namibia is published by Fortune Business Insights in
ENERGY POVERTY its report titled, “Middle East & Africa Solar
Germany plans to import what it claims will Photovoltaic (PV) Market, 2021-2028.”
OPEC secretary general be the world’s cheapest green hydrogen from and serve the demand from the vast
The capability of solar PV to be economical
Namibia.
says Africa needs to and Obeth Kandjoze, head of the Namibian population is estimated to fuel demand in
German science minister Anja Karliczek
the market. Solar parks and distinct solar
planning commission, signed a joint installations can avail the power demand for

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