Kenya’s Green Hydrogen private sector roundtable brought together key stakeholders to discuss the country’s progress in green hydrogen development, share technical assistance initiatives, and align future support with private sector needs.
On August 28th 2024, H2-diplo in cooperation with other GIZ Kenya hydrogen programs (H2 PDP, PtX Hub and Foundations for GH2 Economy) organised a private sector roundtable to discuss Kenya’s ongoing and planned technical assistance interventions, exploring areas of collaboration and support to advance green hydrogen projects. The event emphasized alignment between GIZ’s technical assistance and the local private sector’s specific needs.
The roundtable took place against the backdrop of the Kenya Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, launched in September 2023, and the release of the Guidelines on Green Hydrogen and its Derivatives in May 2024. These initiatives position Kenya as a prime investment destination for green hydrogen, with several projects across industries (such as green ammonia, sustainable fuels, and green steel) already submitted to the Green Hydrogen Secretariat for permitting. The roundtable opened with remarks from the Kenyan Green Hydrogen Association, emphasizing the private sector’s role in advancing green hydrogen projects. Moreover, representatives from key initiatives such as the PtX Hub, H2-PDP, and H2-diplo provided an update on the progress of technical assistance projects designed to create a strong foundation for Kenya’s green hydrogen industry. The keynotes were followed by sessions between GIZ’s technical assistance teams and private sector stakeholders, identifying possible areas of support and collaboration based on the current green hydrogen project pipeline in Kenya. Discussions covered opportunities in sectors like green ammonia production for fertilizer, green methanol for shipping, and sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
In a separate session, the private sector held bilateral discussions with Kenya’s Green Hydrogen Secretariat with the aim of fast-tracking projects approval and creation of an enabling environment for foreign and local investment in green hydrogen value chains. The roundtables served as a catalyst for further cooperation between Kenya’s private sector, Government of Kenya and the German Development Cooperation’s technical assistance programs. Moving forwards, some of the key areas of focus include continuation of ongoing support for the private sector through capacity building, networking and policy guidance, as well as a strengthening of the Kenyan Green Hydrogen Secretariat to cooperate closely with private sector players and international partners to advance Kenya’s green hydrogen economy.
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