Researchers in Namibia are growing vegetables in the desert using fertiliser made from green hydrogen, in a project pitching to be Africa's first Net Zero village. The Daures Green Hydrogen Village is part of Namibia's strategy to establish itself as a green hydrogen leader while tackling domestic challenges including dependence on imported fertiliser and mounting food insecurity in a water-stressed environment.
In the pilot phase, renewable energy is being used to generate hydrogen and green ammonia to produce fertiliser for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and leafy greens. The plants grow in a hydroponic system, which means they feed off mineral salts dissolved in water, rather than being grown in soil. Advanced desalination and water recycling systems ensure sustainable water use, according to project leaders.
The next phase will see the scale-up of renewable energy infrastructure, including solar and wind power, to support increased green hydrogen and green fertiliser production. Jerome Namaseb, chief executive officer of the Daures Green Hydrogen Village, told SciDev.Net: "The concept for this project is that we intend to demonstrate the nexus between green hydrogen and agriculture.
"Eighty per cent of all ammonia that we use [globally] is actually used for fertiliser production, hence this project aims to demonstrate the full circular economy where we are producing hydrogen [and ammonia] on-site," Namaseb added.
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