The UK will continue to provide technical support to South Africa to help the latter progress its goals for a hydrogen economy, according to a Tuesday statement from the South African Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation. In a separate statement, the UK government stated that funding would be used to pay for this support.
The UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) initiative would be used to deliver the assistance. Commercial prospects were developing because of the hydrogen economy’s expansion, notably for UK businesses in South Africa. A green ammonia plant driven by solar and wind energy, for instance, was to be built in South Africa as part of a £5 billion proposal by the UK company Hive Energy.
“The UK PACT support has already enabled the sharing of expertise contributing to South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap and has funded soon-to-be released work on the employment opportunities and skills that will be needed in South Africa’s green hydrogen economy,” said the South African Ministry in its statement. “Both South Africa and the UK have recently published hydrogen strategies aimed at developing a thriving low-carbon hydrogen sector.”
Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, accompanied President Cyril Ramaphosa on his state visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday and Wednesday.After that, the minister would proceed to Teesside, in northeast England, to see the Hydrogen Hub being established there. This strongly paralleled South Africa’s plans to create a hydrogen valley.
Academic collaboration will also take place between Teesside University in the United Kingdom and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, enabling the sharing and exchanging of best practices. Teesside University in the United Kingdom has been essential in the development of a regional hydrogen economy.
