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There are only a few regions on the planet where constant sun meets constant wind in the optimal alignment of natural forces, with marine access to send high-energy green hydrogen to the world. The Namibian coast is one such place, and the Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project is one of the most advanced green hydrogen projects planned to date. German project developer ENERTRAG is leading a consortium, which includes a 24% Government of Namibia participation, in creating Hyphen on a 4,000 km² coastal concession in a traditional diamond-mining area, part of Namibia’s vast Tsau ǁKhaeb Sperrgebiet National Park. Powered by ~7 GW of steady, jointly optimised solar and wind energy, the project will electrolyse hydrogen and convert it to 2 million tonnes of green ammonia a year. Adjacent storage and port infrastructure will then enable Namibia to export energy by sea.

A 2023 concession agreement has granted Hyphen rights for 40 years to develop and operate the project, while the developer builds common-use infrastructure that will be open to other hydrogen projects and industries in the area. A green project of this scale has the potential to transform Namibia’s economy, not just financially, but through job creation, local content and skills transfer. It also has potential to unlock Namibia as a large scale low-cost supplier to European off-takers in countries such as Germany, supplying green ammonia to industrial customers focusing on decarbonising their energy supply.

Our support 

The Hyphen team was introduced to the GET.invest Finance Access Advisory by the German, Dutch co-financed Green Hydrogen Business Alliance, which engages hydrogen industries throughout Europe. The GET.invest team immediately adapted and improved the financial model in line with project debt finance norms. They then designed a market subsidy solution for this and similar projects worldwide in the form of a Contract for Difference (CfD) instrument.

GET.invest brought a rare and valuable knowledge base to the task, drawing on its involvement in dozens of green hydrogen projects in Africa and South America. With experience closing transactions in this market, GET.invest could sense check models against global financing trends and identify key contingencies to be addressed. The programme therefore provided targeted commercial and financial modelling assistance, instrument design, and introductions to potential financiers, grant funders and subsidy mechanisms in Europe. Finally, it aligned the models with the requirements of debt financiers and off takers in the European hydrogen market.

The outcome

Hyphen is rapidly advancing the project in all its aspects to achieve financial close in 2027. It is preparing to select strategic execution partners following project de-risking to advance the project to final investment decision and then into construction. , which will be a first test of how this mechanism can support the hydrogen import market in emerging markets, potentially as a key component of the emerging CfD instrument.

Namibia’s government is positioning the country as a renewable-energy powerhouse on multiple fronts. It is fine-tuning new legislation to create a favourable legal environment for its green hydrogen industry, and it is creating a vision for the continued expansion of the industry in the country’s Southern Corridor, with Hyphen as the keystone project. This will include the development of new port facilities at Angra Point in Lüderitz, following the completion of a three-year port master plan prepared by NamPort with support from the Port of Rotterdam and Hyphen. The plan positions both the new and existing port facilities to support Namibia’s green hydrogen projects and emerging industries, all powered by the limitless sunshine and wind of this unique coast.

Disclaimer: This story was last updated in May 2026.