Germany and South Africa have joined forces in a collaborative effort to advance green hydrogen projects, marking the latest endeavor by Europe to harness Africa’s vast renewable resources to achieve its net-zero targets by 2050.
The partnership entails Germany providing assistance in market development, import facilitation, and connecting producers with technology partners, as stated by Masopha Moshoeshoe, an executive in South Africa’s presidency’s investment and infrastructure office.
This collaboration aims to create business-to-business opportunities between developers and off-takers in Germany, fostering mutually beneficial relationships in the green hydrogen sector.
Green hydrogen, generated by utilizing renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, holds immense potential as a versatile fuel across various industries, including transportation, petrochemicals, and steel production.
European nations are increasingly turning to Africa to secure future supplies of green hydrogen, making substantial investments in green hydrogen projects across countries such as Namibia, Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa.
In a notable development last week, the Netherlands and Denmark launched a $1 billion green hydrogen fund in South Africa, following the launch of a similar fund in Namibia last year.
South Africa, as the most advanced economy in the continent and the 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, has prioritized green hydrogen as a crucial element of its decarbonization efforts.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has underscored the country’s need for up to 319 billion rand ($17.28 billion) in investments to kick-start the green hydrogen industry.
To date, South Africa has received $700 billion in funding out of the $8.5 billion pledged by a group of wealthy countries, including France, Germany, Britain, the United States, and the European Union. However, Tuesday’s agreement did not specify any investment targets from either country.
The collaboration between Germany and South Africa in the realm of green hydrogen projects signifies a significant step toward achieving sustainable energy goals. By leveraging Africa’s renewable resources and Germany’s expertise in technology and market development, this partnership has the potential to propel the green hydrogen industry forward, facilitating the transition to a greener and more sustainable future.
