Key takeaways:
SMA Altenso was named a finalist for The smarter E AWARD 2026 for its contribution to Africa’s first off-grid green hydrogen plant
The facility can produce up to 90 kg of green hydrogen per hour and operates independently of Namibia’s electricity grid
The hydrogen produced is being supplied for transportation applications, including trucks and buses, and will supply future rail and maritime projects
SMA Altenso has been named a finalist for The smarter E AWARD 2026 under the Outstanding Projects category for its contribution to Africa’s first off-grid green hydrogen plant in Namibia.
The Hydrogen Dune project combines solar, storage, and hydrogen production within a self-sufficient industrial mini-grid. Green hydrogen is widely viewed as a potential decarbonization pathway for sectors such as heavy-duty transport, shipping, and certain industrial processes.
Located in Walvis Bay, Namibia, this project generates its own electricity to produce hydrogen. It integrates a 6.5-hectare solar park, a 5.9 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and a 5 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. According to SMA Altenso, the project operates fully independent of the country’s electricity grid, which has an installed capacity of about 700 MW.
The project was commissioned in 2 phases, with a PV inverter station, a medium-voltage transformer, switchgear infrastructure, and battery storage in early 2025. The second phase concluded in September 2025 with the commissioning of a power conversion unit for hydrogen production. It consists of a 40-foot containerized rectifier solution equipped with 2 SMA Electrolyzer Converter UP units and an EMS.
The electricity generated powers the PEM electrolyzer, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The battery system stores excess energy and supplies power during periods of low solar generation, helping maintain continuous plant operation. According to SMA Altenso, this facility can produce up to 90 kg of green hydrogen per hour.
One key component of this project is the medium-voltage power station (MVPS) and rectifier system that manages power flows among the solar plant, battery storage, and electrolyzer. The EMS uses digital models and solar forecasts to optimize hydrogen production, electricity generation, and auxiliary loads several days in advance.
The hydrogen produced at this facility is supplied through public fuel stations and a mobile refueling unit to transport to locations such as ports and service stations. In November 2025, the facility achieved the milestone of delivering 1 GW of power for hydrogen applications. The project is owned by Belgium-based CMB.TECH, a maritime group. According to the company, hydrogen is already used for dual-fuel trucks and a hydrogen-powered bus. Additionally, a dual-fuel locomotive for freight transport and a hydrogen-powered port vessel are currently under construction and are expected to be operational by 2026.