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Iberdola's green hydrogen factory in the final stages of construction in Puertollano, Spain (icon image)
Photo: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Angola is to become Germany's first supplier of green hydrogen from renewable energies.
The state energy company Sonangol signed a declaration of intent on Wednesday in Berlin together with the German companies Gauff Engineering and Conjuncta for the construction of a corresponding factory in Angola.
He is counting on green ammonia being able to be exported from 2024, said Angolan Minister for Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Pedro de Azevedo.
Green ammonia is a liquid energy carrier that can be used to transport green hydrogen over long distances.
According to Stefan Liebing, Managing Director of Conjuncta and Chairman of the German-African Business Association, 280,000 tons of green ammonia will initially be produced for export.
The project could thus be the first of its kind in Africa and "perhaps even the first project worldwide," said Liebing.
Fast production after the construction of the factory in the port of Barra do Dande is possible because electricity from a hydroelectric power station, water and infrastructure such as power lines are available, emphasized Stefan Tavares Bollow, Managing Director of Gauff Engineering.
The federal government is currently looking for partners worldwide to import green hydrogen, which is intended to replace fossil fuels such as oil and gas.
An energy partnership already exists between Germany and Angola.
However, the responsible minister, de Azevedo, rejected fast deliveries of oil and gas from Russia as a substitute for fossil fuels: "It will take some time," he said in a Reuters TV interview when asked whether Angola could expand its capacities quickly , »Oil production is not so elastic.« Angola is the second largest oil producer in Africa.
The more European companies invest, the more one can produce in the future.
Oil and gas would continue to play a role in the energy mix for a few more years.
With a view to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, however, de Azevedo said: "We see the needs of Europe."
They are ready to deliver more and have just decided on new facilities and investments for the development of gas reserves.
"Some of the gas will go to Europe."
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