JinkoSolar has announced that it has supplied 25 MW of its high-efficiency N-type TOPCon panels for the first phase of a solar-powered hydrogen project supporting green iron production at its Namibian plant in Oshivela. Once connected, it will be the first commercial green iron plant in Africa and a major milestone in the continent’s green industrial transition. The company has also signed a memorandum of understanding to supply the upcoming second and third phases of the project, which will take the total capacity to 1,811 GW.
HyIron’s Oshivela Green plant is pioneering a transformative approach to iron production, using hydrogen as a clean energy source to enable the plant to achieve carbon neutrality, effectively mitigating the environmental footprint associated with traditional iron production methods.
“On behalf of HyIron, I am pleased to share our vision and plans for a global partnership with JinkoSolar on our Green Iron Project,” commented the company’s MD Johannes Michels. “HyIron focuses on renewable energy and engineering green industrial solutions. Our core technology, known as HyIron technology, is an innovative process that uses green hydrogen to reduce iron ore in a rotary kiln, resulting in completely carbon neutral iron.
Our collaboration with JinkoSolar will be realized at the Oshivela project in Namibia, where we aim to create the world’s first net zero emissions industrial iron production. By joining forces with Jinko, we are collectively contributing to the global energy transition and building a greener, more sustainable future.”
The cost of green hydrogen is the key to the ROI of the project and mainly depends on the cost of green energy. The high performance and high production efficiency of Tiger Neo panels offers the lowest possible LCOE to ensure the economic value of the project and makes it competitive against fossil fuel based iron production.
“We are delighted to supply our Tiger Neo units to power Africa’s first green iron hydrogen solar plant, which represents a paradigm shift in the iron industry and will set a precedent for sustainable manufacturing practices on a global scale. Initiatives like HyIron’s Oshivela plant serve as beacons of hope and inspiration in Africa and the rest of the world,” added Jaffer Wang, Jinko GM for the SSA region.