Mining Indaba sees increase in conversation on South Africa’s hydrogen position

This year’s Mining Indaba, held in Cape Town, has seen an increase in conversation on South Africa’s position on hydrogen.

More than 8000 attendees from all across the nation descended on the mother city for the event to network, hear about the latest advancements, and assess how the mining industry was faring in light of the nation’s present energy crisis.

While SA’s hydrogen journey originally started as a way for the nation to achieve its decarbonization goals, it is now thought to be a potential solution to save South Africans from Eskom’s problems.

Dex Machida, a KPMG speaker, panelist, and moderator for the hydrogen opportunity debate, stated that while the indaba was primarily focused on the energy conversation, there has been significantly more interest in the topic of hydrogen, with delegates willing to continue the discussion in the future.

However, the cost of manufacturing hydrogen is still quite expensive, according to Machida, which is an issue.

According to Machida, the government and the mining industry were therefore receptive to the suggestions made. Hydrogen will ultimately save the day, but not today.

South Africa has invested a lot of time and money into developing the capabilities necessary to complete the project. According to Machida, the government already uses TVETs to overcome skill and capability development gaps.