Key Points
- South Africa is positioning itself to lead in the hydrogen industry.
- PGMs play a crucial role in the development of green hydrogen.
- Key partnerships and initiatives are advancing South Africa’s hydrogen economy.
Speakers at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection’s (Mistra) ninth annual platinum group metals (PGM) roundtable, held Nov. 27, agreed that South Africa has the potential to become a leader in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries.
South Africa’s hydrogen economy: a game-changer for global energy
By developing its capabilities, the country can play a key role in the entire hydrogen value chain, from mineral mining and beneficiation to manufacturing and services, said Mistra Executive Director Joel Netshitenzhe.
Netshitenzhe highlighted that an estimated 35 million tonnes of green hydrogen are expected to be produced by 2035, making up 20% of the European Union’s energy mix by 2050.
This initiative aims to leverage the country’s abundant resources to reduce skepticism and stabilize the commercial fluctuations often seen with emerging technologies. “We must demonstrate the viability of the green hydrogen industry through real-world practice,” Netshitenzhe said.
Khavharendwe Rambau, deputy director-general for transport and renewable energy at the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), explained that South Africa’s hydrogen journey began with the approval of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research Development and Innovation Strategy by Cabinet in 2007.
Efforts by the government and research center Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) have led to the Hydrogen Society Roadmap, which envisions a competitive, sustainable hydrogen economy by 2050.
Various government departments, including Mineral Resources and Energy, Transport, Trade, Industry and Competition, Public Works and Infrastructure, Science and Innovation, and Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, are leading the roadmap’s implementation.
According to mining weekly, the DSTI has facilitated partnerships both locally and internationally to support these catalytic projects. The department also identifies further opportunities for catalytic projects in the Hydrogen Valley initiative, which includes mobility and industrial projects to boost domestic demand in Gauteng, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal.
Strategic partnerships driving South Africa’s hydrogen development
The Western, Northern, and Eastern Cape provincial governments signed an MOU last year to collaborate on green hydrogen development in South Africa. In the private sector, Sasol, Anglo American, and BMW signed an MOU to introduce hydrogen fuel cell EVs and hydrogen refueling infrastructure in South Africa.
Rambau reiterated that hydrogen is a critical energy source for decarbonizing industries and reindustrializing the economy. She sees it as a promising opportunity to enhance exports.
She believes South Africa’s renewable energy resources, land availability, and strategic partnerships with the EU, Japan, and South Korea give it a competitive edge in the hydrogen economy.
