Chamwe Kaira
H2Infra NV, a subsidiary of Belgian-based CMB.TECH, is set to become the sole shareholder of Cleanergy Solutions Namibia after acquiring the 51% stake held by the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group.
The transaction, subject to approval by the Competition Commission, marks a new phase for the clean energy company that plays a key role in Namibia’s green hydrogen drive.
O&L executive chairman Sven Thieme said CMB.TECH is “ideally positioned to lead Cleanergy forward”, using its international expertise and innovation to support Namibia’s sustainable energy goals.
O&L co-founded Cleanergy Solutions Namibia and said it is proud to have helped lay the foundation for the country’s green hydrogen sector. Thieme said the decision to sell its stake allows O&L to focus on strengthening its core operations and pursuing new opportunities under its Vision 2029 strategy.
“While our shareholder chapter comes to an end, our partnership story does not,” Thieme said. “We will continue to play a supportive role and look forward to collaborating with CMB.TECH on future pioneering projects.”
He thanked the Cleanergy and CMB.TECH teams for their commitment and innovation. “As CMB.TECH takes the lead, we are confident that Cleanergy Solutions will continue to drive transformative progress for Namibia and the world,” he said.
Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, a joint venture between O&L and CMB.TECH, focuses on developing green hydrogen and related technologies in Namibia.
In September, the company celebrated the grand opening of its green hydrogen production and refuelling facility, officiated by prime minister Elijah Ngurare.
The site includes a solar-powered electrolyser that produces green hydrogen, a refuelling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles and industrial uses, and a Hydrogen Academy to train Namibians in hydrogen technologies.
The locally produced hydrogen is already used in road transport with dual-fuel trucks, off-road applications with tractors, and off-grid power generation with hydrogen generators.
The European Union said the project shows that its partnership with Namibia delivers real results.
It is expected to create jobs, offer training opportunities, and support small businesses.
The EU is backing Namibia’s green hydrogen industry through its Global Gateway strategy and has mobilised €1.3 billion (N$25 billion) in loans and grants, unlocking over €20 billion (N$400 billion) in potential private investments.
By 2026, Cleanergy’s hydrogen activities are expected to expand into rail and maritime use.
A diesel locomotive will be converted to run on hydrogen to support rail transport and port operations in Walvis Bay.
A multi-purpose harbour vessel powered by dual-fuel hydrogen engines is being built in the Netherlands and will be deployed at Walvis Bay next year.
Both the vessel and locomotive will use locally produced hydrogen distributed via a 500-bar mobile refueller for flexible use across the country.
Caption
Prime minister Elijah Ngurare opened the green hydrogen production and refuelling facility at Walvis Bay.
-Photo: Contributed
