Finnish near-shore wave energy technology company AW-Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kaoko Green Energy Solutions, in Namibia, for the development of renewable energy infrastructure and to produce green hydrogen from renewable energy sources, including wave energy.

The initiative will operate in three phases, with Phase 1 entailing detailed site design and the fabrication and deployment of a WaveRoller wave farm on the coast of Swakopmund to deliver renewable power to support in-land resettlement and development.

Phase 2 will include an assessment of the capacity for wave farms in several locations in Namibia.

Phase 3 will focus on expanding the number of wave energy plants to deliver power to the grid and help in new ways to provide energy for desalination and green hydrogen projects.

This initiative comes on the back of AW-Energy’s latest advancement of its WaveRoller technology.

“With an energetic and consistent wave resource, Namibia is well positioned to use the benefits of wave energy to enable sustainable industries and jobs,” says AW-Energy CEO Christopher Ridgewell.

“We are working with Kaoko’s innovative team to support Namibia’s sustainability goals, and this initiative provides an excellent environment for deploying WaveRoller technology into Namibia’s energy mix. We are looking forward to taking the next steps together and to demonstrate WaveRoller’s value in desalination and green hydrogen production,” he adds.

Further, the initiative supports a mutual intention to cooperate and explore knowledge-sharing opportunities for the development of clean and sustainable ocean energy resource and the assessment phase of wave farm developments in Namibia, AW-Energy added.

“The energy sector in Southern Africa is currently underdeveloped, which creates opportunities for innovative solutions and partnerships that can grow the sector. The current energy shortages in the region have paved ways to explore alternative, untapped and sustainable energy sources. Ocean waves have the potential to provide a sustainable solution to our energy needs and demands,” comments Kaoko Green Energy Solutions director Sacky Nalusha.

Additionally, a critical part of the country’s growth in clean energy is the upskilling of the domestic workforce to maximise local employment, says Ridgewell.

“This MoU is designed to help facilitate ways in which the WaveRoller wave energy device and its technology can be fabricated, manufactured and deployed using local people to support owner-operators in Namibia,” he points out.

Meanwhile, Namibia's government plans to use green hydrogen extensively to decarbonise the economy. Over the coming decade, Namibia aims to establish and position itself as a green hydrogen producer and exporter.

Green hydrogen will be an important source of foreign investment and is important for the country’s energy security and transition, AW-Energy notes.

“Combined with other renewable energy sources, such as solar, WaveRoller enables significant cost reductions in green hydrogen production and represents a viable solution in the drive to execute the world’s clean energy hydrogen roadmap,” Ridgewell adds.

Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Council launched its green hydrogen strategy in 2022, which supports the country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change, with the ultimate goal of reducing emissions to net-zero by 2050.

The strategy will also allow Namibia to become a net exporter of energy by unlocking its potential to meet global demand of ten-million metric tons by 2030 while playing a pivotal role in energy security for the region.

AW-Energy, meanwhile, adds that its WaveRoller WaveFarms are one of the most advanced wave energy technology solutions available.

The company has created an industrial package comprising the WaveRoller wave energy converters, all WaveFarm infrastructure, logistics, life-cycle services, product documentation and everything that a customer needs to produce indigenous stable renewable clean energy, it says.