South Africa has advanced its green hydrogen ambitions with the launch of a pilot facility at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Vice President Paul Mashatile attended the inauguration ceremony.
The project, known as the Wits–South Africa Hydrogen Localisation Initiative, represents an investment of about 100 million rand, roughly $5.3 million. Air Liquide and the Localisation Support Fund, a national mechanism that promotes domestic industrial capacity, are backing the initiative.
The pilot facility includes a 110-kilowatt electrolyzer that produces hydrogen using water and electricity. The site also has a storage system capable of holding up to 200 kilograms of hydrogen.
The facility can also convert hydrogen back into electricity. According to the university, the system can generate up to 200 kilowatts of power and will supply energy to certain infrastructure while supporting technical testing in real operating conditions.
In remarks shared by the university, Vice President Mashatile said the initiative supports the country’s broader plan to build a hydrogen economy. He noted that the project will help strengthen local expertise while contributing to the energy transition.
The university said the platform will allow researchers and engineers to test hydrogen applications in real industrial settings. The facility will also provide training for students, technicians, and professionals working in hydrogen technologies.
Nkululeko Magadla, Chief Executive Officer of Air Liquide Southern Africa, said the aim is to ensure that South Africa develops a skilled workforce and a competitive base of local suppliers as the hydrogen sector grows.
The Wits pilot project forms part of a national strategy introduced by the government. In 2021, the South African Department of Science and Innovation published the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap Version 1, which outlines targets for the sector.
The roadmap sets a goal of producing up to 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year by 2030. Officials said this level of production would support local industrial demand while preparing the country for export opportunities.
The strategy also estimates that the sector could create around 20,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030 across the value chain, including hydrogen production, storage, equipment manufacturing, and industrial use.
When authorities formally launched the strategy in 2022, the Department of Science and Innovation said the roadmap aims to attract several billion rand in investment over the coming decade. Officials added that pilot projects like this one will help build the foundation for wider industrial development.
The South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has also included green hydrogen in the user-friendly IRP 2025 energy plan. The plan highlights hydrogen’s potential role in storing electricity and reducing emissions in carbon-intensive industries.
source: www.ecofinagency.com
African Energy Council