JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Green hydrogen development in South Africa has the potential to generate up to 60 000 new jobs in the next ten to 15 years, said Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) director-general Dr Phil Mjwara during a televised interview on SABC News.

Mjwara expressed confidence that the R15-million to R20-million a year that has been invested in hydrogen development since 2009/10 will pay off. This payback would come about through eventual exportation, employment and taxes from companies that become involved in the fast-developing hydrogen economy.

“We haven’t done the full economics, but we think that we’ll be able to contribute between 1% and 2% to the GDP,” said Mjwara.

The DSI has been spearheading the use of platinum-linked green hydrogen as an alternative clean energy source since 2008.

In opening, the TV presenter made the point that South Africa has already made great strides in the hydrogen field and is now on the brink of commercialising the technology that has been developed around hydrogen, an abundant gas with immense potential as a clean and reliable energy source.

South Africa, with its bountiful sun, human innovation capacity, and platinum group metals (PGMs) endowment, was described by SABC News’ Mariska Botha as providing an ideal setting for the generation of renewable energy to produce green hydrogen, which, she pointed out, could be derived from any water source, including the ocean, through the process of electrolysis.

The hydrogen could then be converted into green electricity to power taxis and buses, with the help of PGMs-catalysed hydrogen fuel cells. South Africa is endowed with the world's largest PGMs resources and reserves.

Hydrogen South Africa Infrastructure facility manager Dr Neels le Roux drew attention to the far-reaching hydrogen investments under way in European Union countries and Japan and described hydrogen as the perfect response to South Africa’s long-distance transport needs. Hydrogen’s environment-friendliness is emphasised by that fact that the only byproduct of its use is water.

It was reported that, as part of South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap, research is under way at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to develop storage technology for hydrogen.

A row of hydrogen fuel cell scooters that have been developed were televised, and UWC senior researcher Dr Wafeeq Davids drew attention to the UWC’s role in the development of a forklift and a hydrogen refuelling station that are in commercial use at the Impala Platinum Refinery in Springs, Gauteng.

“We have all the raw materials in the country, we’ve built up the skills for the past 15 years, and we really now have the critical skills to take this technology to the next level,” Davids enthused.

One of the big projects under way is the establishment of a hydrogen corridor from Kwazulu-Natal through Gauteng to Limpopo, along which hydrogen fuel cell buses will travel.

South Africa is seen as having the potential to become a global hydrogen hub, with innovation and new technology being continuously developed on home soil.

The broadcast by SABC News followed a briefing of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation by the DSI.

GREEN HYDROGEN DEVELOPMENT IS SURGING GLOBALLY

Significant reports are emerging regularly on the development of mobility and power generation with the use of green hydrogen and fuel cells.

Following successful laboratory tests in the US, Anglo American’s hydrogen power plant module that has arrived in South Africa has replaced the diesel engine in one of the haul trucks. The world’s largest hydrogen-powered haul truck will be used at Mogalakwena PGMs mine in Limpopo.

BMW iX5 Hydrogen has been undergoing testing throughout the winter, in a process involving some of the coldest places on the planet, only to confirm that the fuel cell vehicle can hold up even in the lowest temperatures that could be thrown at it.

Japan is trialling its first-ever hydrogen-powered train as the country looks to cut emissions from its high emitting transportation sector.

Tree Energy Solutions is accelerating its green hydrogen hub for the importing of green hydrogen at the German port of Wilhelmshaven. The terminal is being built in line with the German government’s energy needs. Germany has reportedly identified South Africa as a primary source of green hydrogen.

Urban air mobility hydrogen fuel cell systems company, HyPoint, has opened a new UK research and development facility at the site of Discovery Park. The facility’s goal is to produce new units for use in hydrogen-powered aircraft,

Bloomberg LP predicts that 2022 is set to be a booming year for green hydrogen. A new analysis of the energy market anticipates an increasing focus on decarbonising hard-to-electrify industries along with falling technical costs.