SDG Namibia One Fund, the country’s dedicated energy transition and green hydrogen infrastructure fund, has signed a development funding agreement with Zhero Europe, a clean energy projects developer, to advance the development of the Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay Project.
SDG Namibia One Fund (also known as Climate Investor Three Namibia) will commit up to US$5.15 million (about N$81.8 million) in development funding to enable Zhero to complete the development and feasibility activities required to progress the project toward a final investment decision, targeted for 2027. Commercial operation is expected in 2030.
SDG Namibia One Fund, managed by Climate Fund Managers (CFM), a climate-focused blended finance investment manager, in partnership with Dutch development finance institution, Invest International, and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), is backed by the European Union Global Gateway investment strategy and Invest International.
The Zhero Molecule Walvis Bay project is Zhero’s flagship project in green molecules. Once operational, it is expected to produce 500,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year, avoiding approximately 1.2 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Alongside its contribution to the energy transition, the project will support Namibia’s broader socio economic development, while also generating opportunities for local businesses and service providers across the value chain.
The project will be powered by an integrated renewable energy system comprising 3 GW of solar PV, 2.2 GWh of battery energy storage, a 1.6 GW electrolyser system and 110 km of new transmission infrastructure. A desalination plant is planned as part of the project’s water supply solution. Green ammonia produced by the Project is expected to serve global decarbonisation markets, including fertilisers, maritime fuels and industrial feedstocks.
Green ammonia is produced by combining green hydrogen, generated through electrolysis powered by renewable energy, with nitrogen extracted from the air. It is a zero-carbon fuel and chemical feedstock with applications across sectors including fertiliser production, maritime shipping and industrial processes. Green ammonia is particularly important for decarbonising these hard-to-abate industries, where few alternative zero-carbon solutions currently exist.
Darron Johnson, Regional Head of Africa at Climate Fund Managers, said: “Zhero’s project aligns strongly with Namibia’s ambition to build a competitive green hydrogen and ammonia industry, as well as with the mandate of our SDG Namibia One Fund. The site benefits from exceptional solar resources, ample land and direct access to deep-water export infrastructure at Walvis Bay, making it well-suited for industrial-scale green ammonia production. Through its blended finance structure, SDG Namibia One is providing early-stage development capital alongside Zhero needed to de-risk the project and prepare it for financial close, creating the conditions for private capital to invest at scale in the construction phase. We look forward to working with Zhero to bring this important project from development, through construction and into operation.”
Paolo Gallieri, Chief Operating Officer at Zhero said the development funding from SDG Namibia One will add to the company’s own development funding investment.
“Namibia has the natural resources, strategic location and national vision to become a global leader in green ammonia and hydrogen. With this support, we are strengthening our ability to deliver a world-class facility that can attract long-term investment, create economic opportunities for the country and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts,” he said.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said during his recent mission to Namibia, he saw first-hand how Global Gateway cooperation in renewable energy can translate into real industrial value.
“This project shows what that means in practice: thousands of jobs in Namibia, sustainable industrial development and a new clean-energy supply that can support Europe’s decarbonisation efforts,” said Síkela.
SDG Namibia One is a blended finance facility designed to mobilise public and private investment into Namibia’s green hydrogen and energy-transition sectors. It currently manages €65 million (about N$1.2 billion) in early-stage development funding from European donors and is raising additional capital to finance construction-phase investments.
