The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) in South Africa is set to build Hydrogen Valley in partnership with the Private Sector. The department is collaborating with companies in the energy sector to carry out a feasibility study in relation to the establishment of a Platinum Valley. The feasibility study is the first phase of the Platinum Valley initiative, and will drive the planning, design, construction and commissioning of projects related to the development of a Hydrogen Valley. The department has partnered with Anglo American, energy and services company ENGIE, and clean energy solutions provider Bambili Energy to carry out this study.
Implemented through the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), the study will support plans to create a Hydrogen Valley along the Bushveld complex and larger region stretching from Anglo American’s Mogalakwena platinum mine near Mokopane to Johannesburg and Durban. SANEDI will also fund projects to take intellectual property created through the Hydrogen SA (HySA) centres of competence to market in partnership with the private sector.
The study will identify tangible opportunities to build hydrogen hubs in this key economic and transport corridor, leveraging the regional platinum group metals (PGMs) mining industry and exploring the potential for hydrogen production and supply at scale. PGMs play an important role in polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis used to produce hydrogen, as well as in hydrogen fuel cells.
According to DSI, the agreement set a framework to define a sustainable pathway toward establishing a local hydrogen ecosystem in the context of the national hydrogen roadmap under development in South Africa, with the potential of creating direct opportunities for economic and community development while contributing to decarbonisation efforts.
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Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan for South Africa
Science, technology and innovation will play a key role in supporting the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan for South Africa. The Department’s continued long-term investment into research, development and innovation (RDI) in South Africa over the years is being leveraged to contribute to three areas – RDI to revitalise and modernise existing industries/sectors, RDI that creates new sources of growth and stimulates research and development-led industrial development, and RDI in support of a capable and developmental state.
The DSI’s partnership with Anglo American, Bambili Energy and ENGIE on the Hydrogen Valley is an example of leveraging investments made in the HySA programme to create mechanisms for the uptake of intellectual property arising from publicly financed research and development.
The Hydrogen Valley is one of the first projects that will be implemented in partnership with the private sector to the support the Platinum Valley initiative. SMMEs will be supported to take advantage of opportunities in the green economy as part of the just transition to a green economy.
South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley will identify concrete project opportunities for kick-starting hydrogen activities in promising hubs. The aim is to boost economic growth and job creation, drive the development of new industries, increase value-add to the country’s platinum reserves, and reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
