By Nneka Nwogwugwu
South Africa’s decade-long investment in hydrogen energy development and research is expected to pay off as fossil fuel companies turn to greener futures.
Petrochemical giant Sasol and Anglo American are among the companies gearing up to restructure their businesses for hydrogen and fuel cell technology development.
The government believes that within 10 years Japan, South Korea and the European Union will emerge as the main export destinations for green hydrogen, given the advancement of policies in these countries.
Opportunities for Eskom were highlighted at the Joburg Indaba on Wednesday where it was pointed out that decommissioned coal-fired power infrastructure could be transformed into chemical hubs for green hydrogen production.
The trade and industry department established an expert panel in July to “advise on commercialisation strategies, key policy interventions, maximisation of localisation opportunities and funding models to drive large scale production”, said Malebo Mabitje-Thompson, the department’s acting director general.
The Minerals Council, which represents about 90% of the industry, said the country’s hydrogen opportunities were a game changer.
“The global energy mix is changing from power generation to transportation. As we talk about the just energy transition, hydrogen is a key energy carrier,” the council’s chief executive, Roger Baxter, told the indaba.
South Africa has ideal weather conditions for solar and wind generation, which are the renewable energy options typically used in green hydrogen production, according to the science and innovation department, which told the Mail & Guardian that high solar and wind availability increases the use of hydrogen electrolysers, lowering the cost of green hydrogen production.
The department said platinum group metal beneficiation was a key economic opportunity and a driving force for advancing hydrogen and fuel cell production. Platinum group metals (PGMs) are a key component of electrolysers in hydrogen production and as catalysts in fuel cells.
“In this regard, the country has a window of opportunity to develop PGM-based components for hydrogen production to meet the demands of countries which have developed policies to integrate hydrogen in their economies,” it said.
