WINDHOEK, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Friday inaugurated Africa's first industrial-scale green iron plant, a facility that produces iron with zero carbon emissions.

The HyIron Oshivela Plant, located in the country's Erongo Region, uses solar power and hydrogen to produce iron without carbon emissions. It is expected to begin production later this month with an initial capacity of 15,000 tonnes per year, with plans to reach 2 million tonnes by 2030.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the plant demonstrates Namibia's commitment to building a carbon-free economy and creating more job opportunities, especially for young people.

"This project shows that Namibia has not only the raw materials and renewable energy, but also the human capital and political will to support sustainable industrial growth," Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

The facility, which uses renewable energy to produce iron, was constructed in less than 12 months, with an investment of about 600 million Namibian dollars (about 31 million U.S. dollars).

The modular plant is powered by a 12-MW electrolyzer from China's Peric Hydrogen Systems, the largest such unit in southern Africa, and operates off-grid, using a smart microgrid that aligns production with stored and generated solar energy.

Namibia has been promoting its green hydrogen and renewable energy potential to attract investment and diversify its economy beyond mining and raw material exports. The southern African country aims to shift from exporting raw materials to producing value-added goods locally, which officials say can generate up to eight times more economic value. Enditem

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