Hyphen and Japanese firm ink agreement to explore areas for potential collaboration in local green hydrogen project
Hydrogen development company, Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) to explore areas for potential collaboration to drive Hyphen’s hydrogen project in the Namib Desert.
Hyphen and ITOCHU, one of Japan’s largest general trading and investment companies, will now enter into talks on areas of potential collaboration on Namibia’s landmark multi-billion-dollar green hydrogen project.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday by Shinya Ishizuka, Chief Executive of ITOCHU’s of Africa Bloc, and Marco Raffinetti, Hyphen’s Chief Executive. Present also at the signing ceremony were the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Nishimura Yasutoshi San, and the Minister for Mines and Energy, Hon Tom Alweendo.
Raffinetti, said: “Hyphen expects Japan to emerge as one of the key demand centres for green ammonia globally and we are delighted to have the opportunity to explore areas for collaboration with ITOCHU to unlock supply into this critical market. I firmly believe that Namibia has the potential to become a long-term strategic partner to Japan for the supply of green hydrogen, well beyond the scale of Hyphen’s project, given Namibia’s unique competitive advantages in green hydrogen production. Combined with the support of Namibia that is progressively advancing the development of its green hydrogen economy.”
Ishizuka said: “We are pleased that ITOCHU is contributing to a low-carbon society together with Hyphen. With this collaborative development of green ammonia in Namibia, ITOCHU will aim to create a wide range of ammonia value chains in various existing industrial applications as well as for future energy use and will support our clients and industries in achieving low carbonization goals focusing on Japan, Asia, and its surrounding markets. ITOCHU will initiate and enhance our industrial portfolio in the energy sector while achieving our commitments towards decarbonization activities in various prospective industries.”
Namibia and Hyphen in May this year agreed to govern the development, implementation, and operation of sub-Sahara Africa’s largest and only fully vertically-integrated, green hydrogen project.
