HDF Energy (Hydrogène de France), a company specializing in large-scale green hydrogen infrastructure and high-power fuel cells, has announced the commencement of development studies for the first green hydrogen power plant in Kenya.
The announcement was made during the Africa Climate Summit held in Nairobi. After a year of prospecting in Kenya, the development studies have started for this proposed large-scale green hydrogen power plant, which will be the first of its kind in Kenya and located in the coastal region. Typically, these projects involve two years of development and two years of construction.
HDF Energy has developed 2 models for its multi-megawatt power plants:
- POWER TO POWER: This model generates firm, dispatchable, and stable electricity from intermittent renewable sources using locally produced green hydrogen.
- GAS TO POWER: It provides on-demand power generation from green hydrogen sourced from gas transportation networks or other local green hydrogen projects.
These projects typically incorporate solar PV panels, electrolyzers for green hydrogen production and storage, high-power fuel cells, and lithium-ion batteries.
Here’s how these systems operate:
- The Solar Power Plant generates carbon-free electricity when the sun is shining.
- Battery Storage provides power during peak demand, ensuring electricity stability.
- The long-term H2 Storage System converts solar power into hydrogen using electrolyzers during the day, stores gaseous hydrogen, and generates electricity from stored hydrogen using a Hydrogen Fuel Cell at night.
HDF’s Renewstable® power plant is designed to provide clean, stable power in regions where geothermal or hydropower resources are unavailable. The plant utilizes solar and wind energy, producing and storing green hydrogen through water electrolysis, and converting it to electricity on-demand using HDF’s proprietary multi-megawatt fuel cells. The initial Renewstable® project in Kenya will combine 180 MW of solar PV with 500 MWh of long-term hydrogen-based storage, with an estimated investment of $500 million.
HDF Energy’s global presence spans 30 countries, with a significant presence in eight African nations. Besides the Kenyan project, HDF is actively working on other hydrogen initiatives across Africa in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and the DRC. The development of this innovative power plant in Kenya aims to support the growth of local skills and contribute to Kenya’s green hydrogen economy.
