Sasol has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Northern Cape government to conduct a two-year feasibility assessment for a green hydrogen project in Boegoebaai. The energy and chemical company sees it as a first-of-its-kind agreement for a ground-breaking project.
Priscillah Mabelane, Sasol’s vice president for energy business, broke the news at the second annual Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa (SIDSSA).
“A project of this magnitude has the potential to create up to 6 000 direct jobs – generating much-needed socio-economic benefits, including creating further indirect jobs across the ecosystem. We are very excited to be leading this feasibility study as part of unlocking South Africa’s ambition to be a global green hydrogen export player,” she said.
Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Presidency’s head of infrastructure and investment, said during the symposium that the memorandum of agreement demonstrates South Africa’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
Eskom says anti-pollution tech could hike up tariffs
Eskom, the world’s largest polluter of sulfur dioxide, warned that equipping almost half of its coal-fired plants with pollution-control technology would cost more than R300 billion and increase energy rates.
The state-owned South African power utility said it has sought for an exemption from national emission restrictions for six of its power facilities that will close by 2030, as well as a higher limit for six others that will function beyond 2030.
“Eskom’s power stations, with the exception of Medupi and Kusile, were built at a time where there was no legal requirement for the installation of sulfur dioxide reduction technologies,” the company told BusinessTech.
“The implementation of flue-gas desulfurisation at the stations operating post-2030 should be considered in terms of return on investment and balancing the positive and negative impacts on the environment and communities exposed to pollution,” Eskom said.
Load shedding extended
In the meantime, Eskom has announced yesterday that stage 2 load shedding will be extended until Thursday, 14 October and be implemented on a continuous 24-hour cycle. South Africans are encouraged to watch the power utility’s Twitter page for regular updates.
ALSO READ: This week’s agriculture events: 4 – 10 October
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
