Uganda to collaborate with HDF Energy to pilot a first green hydrogen power plant
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) of the Republic of Uganda is aspiring to advance green hydrogen development in Uganda and capture domestic opportunities, in particular, through green power generation using hydrogen-based storage, as an alternative source of electricity.
Hydrogène de France SA (HDF Energy) group – Euronext Paris – is a global pioneer in hydrogen power plants and high-power fuel cell manufacturer. HDF combines a primary source of renewable power with hydrogen storage to provide dipatchable green baseload electricity.
The Minister of Energy, Dr. Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, on behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nicolas Lecomte, HDF’s Director for Southern and East Africa, during the Energy Day, at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27). The agreement was witnessed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Eng. Irene Bateebe, and HDF in-country business and project developer, Sana Musanje.
This MoU contributes to paving the way for developing a first Renewstable® power plant in Uganda.
A Renewstable® power plant operates by combining a photovoltaic plant and mass storage of energy through a hydrogen chain, the green alternative to a classic diesel power plant as it only uses solar energy and water to produce stable electricity thus avoiding greenhouse emissions and noise.
The proposed first non-intermittent renewable energy power plant using hydrogen technology in Uganda is set to provide year-round supply for the equivalent of 24 hours a day and prefigures the future of renewable energies by eliminating their intermittency through hydrogen long term energy storage.
HDF Energy is developing several other multi-million Euro projects of this kind in various areas of the world, with recent success seen in French Guiana, South America, where the world’s first utility-scale Hydrogen-to-Power plant is being constructed.
As a producer of electricity, using state-of-the art technologies, HDF Energy will locally create green jobs and develop skills, thus contributing to the regional and national economy of Uganda.
The signature of this MoU not only emphasizes HDF’s leadership position in the global green hydrogen market but also identifies Uganda among the leading countries in the adoption of green hydrogen technologies.
“The novelty of the Renewstable® power plant is such that political support is paramount to enable a first project, and the reforms to be conducted. Our cooperation with the Ministry on a first project in Uganda aims at, amongst other objectives, working jointly on a practical case to inform the local regulation, as well as creating an enabling environment and skills in Uganda for the green hydrogen industry” says Nicolas Lecomte, HDF’s Director for Southern and East Africa.
“On behalf of my government, we would like to thank HDF for the initiative taken. Uganda has been talking about green hydrogen for a long time, with our energy mix, we want to capture whatever energy source we have. I know the technology will come with an opportunity for our people. We are open and will work with HDF, the entire region is going to be transformed ” remarked Dr. Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development.
