14.03.2022

Sustainable hydrogen from Angola for Europe's energy transition

In order to make more use of renewable energy sources, Sonangol E.P., Angola's state oil company, has signed a joint declaration of intent with the German companies CONJUNCTA GmbH and GAUFF GmbH & Co. Engineering KG in November 2021 planning the construction of a plant for the production of green hydrogen in Angola.

Green hydrogen is considered a key element for the energy transition. This is produced using the electrolysis process with only climate-neutral electricity such as hydropower. Thereby, oxygen also occurs as the only by-product. The aim is to sell the hydrogen to the EU via the H2Global program initiated by Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck and thus to further diversify the Angolan economy.

Angola has a very high hydropower potential at its disposal. The power plants that currently exist could produce significantly more electricity than is actually consumed, and further hydroelectric power plants are in the planning stage. These capacities can be used to produce green hydrogen and/or its derivatives via the electrolysis of water. As a petroleum and LNG exporter, Angola also has the necessary infrastructure for global distribution, including well-developed port facilities, liquefaction facilities and an international customer base with long-term supply contracts.

Within this framework, GAUFF Engineering and Conjuncta, together with Sonangol, are developing a concept for the production and marketing of green hydrogen in a first phase. To this end, conceptual and technical studies will be drawn up by March 2022 in order to determine, among other things, a suitable location for the construction of a hydrogen electrolysis plant for the production of hydrogen.

In addition, the hydrogen derivatives to be produced in Angola as well as the strategy for the export are to be determined and the prerequisites for an application in the H2Global program are to be created.

In the H2 Global program, the first deliveries of sustainable hydrogen-based energy sources to Germany and Europe are planned for 2024.