ATLAS OF GREEN HYDROGEN GENERATION IN AFRICA PROJECT
Background
The Atlas of Green Hydrogen Generation Potentials in Africa (H2Atlas-Africa) project is a joint initiative involving African partners in the Sub-Saharan region to explore the potentials of hydrogen production from renewable energy sources within the west and south sub-regions. The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and implemented by partners such as Forshungszentrum Julich, Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-3, IEK-5), West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) and Southern Africa Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL). The project goals included mapping the potential social benefits of green hydrogen projects: its impact on local population to promote energy access, and a technological, environmental and socioeconomic feasibility assessment.
The Nigeria’s H2Atlas-Africa Team
The Nigeria’s team data gathering exercise was coordinated by WASCAL FUTMINNA and headed by Prof. Appollonia Okhimamhe, members included Prof Paulinus Ugwuoke, Dr Ismail Zarma, Dr Ayodeji Balogun and Jamiu Momoh (PhD student FUTminna). The exercise spanned from July, 2020 to February, 2022 and wrapped up with a validation and dissemination workshop for stakeholders in Abuja on the 6th of March, 2022.
The Nigeria H2Atlas-Africa Team at the stakeholder’s validation and dissemination of data for the Atlas of Green Hydrogen Generation Potentials in Nigeria held in Abuja on the 6th March, 2022
Closure of the H2Atlas-Africa Project in Julich Forshungszentrum
The project closed with a workshop organised for twenty-four (24) guest scientist from different African countries at the Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-3, IEK-5), Forshungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Juelich, Germany. Mr. Momoh, J.O PhD in view, FUT Minna represented Nigeria and part of the Nigeria team. In addition, two alumni of WASCAL GSP in FUT Minna, Dr. Enoch Bessah and Dr. Ebrima Sonko represented their countries during the workshop, which meant FUT Minna was well represented. The workshop served as a platform for knowledge transfer and training on the tools developed in the project through specific hand-on exercises. The topics and practices delivered were in global hydrogen export, shipping yards capacities, electrical and gas distribution grids, hydrogen demand in industry, hydrogen potentials methodology: land eligibility analysis, simulation, energy system modelling, water resource analysis, remote sensing: background, analysis and data products, land surface process simulations and climate change impacts, groundwater sustainability and human water use, solar driven CO2 reduction and water splitting to chemical fuels and hydrogen, photovoltaics simulations and emulations, local impact assessment in H2Atlas- project, employment impact analysis H2Atlas-Africa and hydrogen feasibility analysis and realization of H2Atlas-Africa results in sub-Saharan countries.
A cross section of Africa’s representatives at the H2Atlas-Africa closing workshop held at the Forshungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Juelich, Germany from 14th May, 2024 to 6th June, 2024
Take away notes for development of green hydrogen in Nigeria:
The green hydrogen production prospect from solar PV renewables and ground water in Nigeria have higher potentials in the Sahel Savanna states of Borno, Yobe and Jigawa states. Though, its viabilities are constrained by lack of adequate infrastructure (access to transmission grid, sea harbour and rail lines) and insecurity, the most feasible and low hanging fruit for Nigeria in this green hydrogen revolution is to develop green hydrogen from renewables and store/use as alternative carrier of electricity so as to improve reliability of the transmission grid network. This proposal can be considered to be cost effective and less vulnerable when compared to transmission grid.