The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), in partnership with the University of Namibia (UNAM), has launched the REALTest Project, a major cutting-edge research initiative aimed at strengthening Namibia’s position as a leader in green hydrogen technology, innovation and green industrial development.
The REALTest Project (Safety, Reliability and Sustainability Research and Testing for Green Hydrogen Technologies) is a three-year project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space with EUR 2.85 million (approximately N$58 million) under the Namibia-Germany Joint Communiqué of Intent (JCoI).
The JCoI was signed by the governments of Namibia and Germany in August 2021 to support cooperation in renewable energy, green hydrogen and sustainable development. SASSCAL is responsible for implementing key JCoI initiatives, including green hydrogen pilot projects and skills development.
Launching the REALTest Project at UNAM on 10 August, 2026, Vice President Lucia Witbooi said the milestone signalled Namibia’s determination to build an economy founded on science, innovation, technological excellence and industrial competitiveness.
“The transition towards clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and sustainable production is fundamentally reshaping global competitiveness. As industrial development increasingly expands into new regions, including the African continent, Namibia must position itself not just as a participant in this transformation, but as an active contributor and beneficiary.
“Therefore, green hydrogen is one of the strategic technologies at the centre of this transformation. Namibia has been blessed with world-class renewable energy resources. These favorable energy resources position our country uniquely to become one of the world’s most competitive producers of green hydrogen and green ammonia,” said the Vice President.
First-of-its-kind test facility in Africa
Witbooi said the REALTest Project, the first facility of its kind on the continent dedicated to the safety, reliability and sustainability of green hydrogen technologies, will contribute to strengthening Namibia’s national capabilities in advanced research, hydrogen safety, materials testing, engineering innovation and scientific excellence.
“These capabilities are essential if Namibia is to participate meaningfully across the entire green hydrogen value chain from research, design and resource assessment, to materials development, manufacturing and production, as well as the operation, maintenance and servicing of facilities. As we all know, countries that lead in science are better positioned to lead in industrialisation. Countries that invest in research create new industries,” said the Vice President.
The REALTest Project facility will allow researchers to test materials, components and systems under Namibia’s unique marine and desert climate conditions. This will provide important information for the safe and reliable development of large-scale green hydrogen production and export.
The research will focus on areas such as materials compatibility, component performance, hydrogen safety systems, advanced welding technologies and electrolyser performance.
The project will seek to:
- Validate advanced materials for use in hydrogen infrastructure and assess their long-term reliability.
- Develop and improve welding processes for large-scale hydrogen systems.
- Provide specialised International Welding Engineer (IWE) training.
- Test and improve electrolyser technologies, including alkaline and proton exchange membrane (PEM) systems.
- Strengthen safety measures, including hydrogen leak detection, accident prevention and emergency response.
The research will be carried out through five connected modules covering materials, components, safety systems, welding technologies and electrolysers.
Building green hydrogen skills
The project will also contribute to the development of highly skilled Namibian researchers and technical specialists.
Fifteen research positions, including postdoctoral fellows, doctoral students and technical specialists, will be filled by graduates of the Youth for Green Hydrogen Scholarship Programme (Y4H2). This will help ensure that the knowledge and skills developed through the project remain in Namibia.
The project also includes an International Welding Engineer (IWE) Training Programme at the UNAM Jose Eduardo dos Santos Campus. The programme is being delivered under the international framework of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).
An initial group of 12 scholars has already started the IWE programme. The training will help address Namibia’s growing need for highly skilled welding engineers as the country develops industries such as green hydrogen, mining, oil and gas, shipbuilding and steel construction.
The IWE qualification is internationally recognised and will equip Namibian professionals with the skills needed to meet international safety, quality and performance standards.
The German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is also supporting the project as a cooperation partner. BAM brings international expertise in large-scale testing, materials compatibility and safety testing for hydrogen technologies.
The REALTest Project will be partially implemented in partnership with Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, which is developing green hydrogen production, refuelling and supply activities at its facility in Walvis Bay.
Speaking at the launch, SASSCAL Director of Science, Technology and Human Capacity Development, Dr Budzanani Tacheba, highlighted the organisation’s role in supporting climate change research, green hydrogen development and human capacity development in Southern Africa.
He noted that the REALTest Project is an important part of Namibia’s efforts to develop green industries and build a strong green hydrogen economy.
The project will provide scientific knowledge that can support future developments, including green ammonia production and other hydrogen-based industries. Its research findings are also expected to contribute to international safety standards, industrial best practices and advanced training programmes.
Once fully operational, the REALTest facility is expected to provide the scientific foundation for Namibia’s growing green hydrogen sector and could support the establishment of a permanent Centre of Excellence in Hydrogen Safety and Sustainability at UNAM.
