Angola

Angola is emerging as a promising player in the green hydrogen economy, building on its robust hydropower capacity and growing solar footprint. The government has formally committed to green hydrogen development and has entered into partnerships to deploy large-scale electrolyser facilities. As of 2024, two major projects—one for export and one for domestic industrial use—are in progress, with support from international investors and aligned with Angola’s long-term strategy to reduce fossil dependency.

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA), with technical inputs from Sonangol and support from Germany’s H2Global Foundation and the EU Global Gateway Initiative, is preparing a National Green Hydrogen Strategy, expected to be finalized in 2025. [1] The strategy outlines:

• Priority use cases: industrial decarbonization, fertilizer production, green ammonia exports

• Deployment roadmap in three phases: pilot (2025), scaling (2026–2030), and export maturity (post-2030)

• Enabling infrastructure: grid upgrades, dedicated RE zones, and port integration

• Market signals: green hydrogen auctions, offtake guarantee frameworks (linked to H2Global)

Angola has signed bilateral agreements with [2] :

• Germany: Under the H2Global mechanism, facilitating offtake and technical assistance [3]

• Netherlands: Exploring port-to-port ammonia shipping and certification pathways

• EU Global Gateway: Providing grants and blended finance for green infrastructure linked to hydrogen [1]

These collaborations are instrumental in aligning Angola’s regulatory environment with EU hydrogen certification, sustainability benchmarks, and safety norms.

Angola’s renewable energy infrastructure is well-aligned to support green hydrogen production.

• Hydropower remains dominant, contributing 66 percent of current installed capacity. Major assets include Capanda (520 MW) and Laúca (2,070 MW), with the Caculo Cabaça dam (2,172 MW) expected to come online by 2026. This will make Angola one of the top hydropower generators in Sub-Saharan Africa. [1]

• Solar PV capacity has reached over 360 MW through key projects in Biopio, Baía Farta, Luena, and Quilemba. The government aims to surpass 800 MW by 2025, targeting off-grid and rural regions for solar penetration.

• Wind energy has a potential of around 3 GW, though utility-scale deployment is still at the planning stage.

Angola does not currently manufacture electrolysers or hydrogen-related equipment.

Angola’s green hydrogen pipeline reflects strategic investment in both export-oriented and domestic demand-linked projects.

1. Barra do Dande Hydrogen–Ammonia Hub (600 MW) [1]

• Location: Coastal zone north of Luanda

• Partners: Sonangol, Conjuncta, Gauff, CWP Global

• Capacity: Initially 400 MW, expanded to 600 MW (with possible scaling to 1 GW)

• Power Source: Nearby hydropower stations

• Product: Green ammonia for export to Germany (under H2Global)

• Timeline: FID expected in 2025

1. Capanda-Based Green Ammonia Project (200–250 MW)  

• Location: Malanje Province

• Partner: Minbos Resources

• Power Source: Capanda Dam (520 MW)

• Use Case: Local fertilizer and mining chemical production

• Timeline: Feasibility under development, aligned with national industrial policy

1. Mobility & Decentralized Pilots

• Hydrogen fuel-cell buses under consideration for the Luanda airport transport corridor

• Potential integration of small-scale electrolysers for green hydrogen cooking and microgrids

1. Infrastructure Readiness

• Port upgrades at Luanda and Barra do Dande underway for ammonia export [2]

• Angola’s Atlantic coastline enables competitive shipping to European and South American markets [3]

• Discussions ongoing with Rotterdam and other EU port authorities on hydrogen logistics