First details on South Africa’s new platinum industrial zone – stretching from Limpopo to KZN
The Department of Science and Innovation has announced plans to establish a ‘Platinum Valley’ project that will be built as a new industrial cluster for South Africa.
The department said that this project will focus on hydrogen technologies and forms part of the government’s economic recovery plans.
Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies offer an alternative source of clean electricity, while hydrogen allows for energy to be stored and delivered in a usable form.
Using hydrogen as an energy carrier could potentially reduce South Africa’s dependence on fossil fuels that cause global warming while reducing its reliance on imported oil, the department said.
“South Africa’s version of a ‘hydrogen valley‘ will identify concrete project opportunities for kick-starting hydrogen activities in promising hubs, with the aim of boosting economic growth and job creation, spurring the development of new industries, increasing the valorisation of the country’s platinum reserves, and reducing its carbon footprint,” the department said.
The industrial corridor project will start in a platinum group metals (PGMs) mining area in Limpopo and continue through the Johannesburg-to-Durban corridor, the department said.
South Africa has 75% of the global reserves of PGMs, which form a key input into proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technologies.
The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) has already deployed fuel cells in several off-grid establishments, including Poelano High School in the North West.
Most recently, seven hydrogen fuel cell systems were installed as the primary power source at 1 Military Hospital in support of the country’s Covid-19 response.
Engagements on the Platinum Valley are at an advanced stage with key stakeholders including the Limpopo Economic Development Agency the department said.
Other stakeholders are the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone and Airports Company South Africa.
Hydrogen roadmap
The department said that it has also given the thumbs-up for the development of the National Hydrogen Society Roadmap for South Africa in line with the HySA Strategy.
“The vision of the HySA strategy is to use local resources to create knowledge and human resource capacity, enabling the development of high-value commercial activities in hydrogen fuel cell technologies,” it said.
The department said that the roadmap will set out the plan for creating an inclusive hydrogen society in South Africa so that an enabling compact between industry, labour, communities and the government can be developed.
This will enable the government and industry to draw up a policy framework for exploiting the potential benefits of hydrogen by integrating it into various sectors of the economy, it said.
“An Atlas of Green Hydrogen Generation Potentials in Africa is also being developed in order to establish Africa’s potential as an exporter of green hydrogen.
“The atlas will not only identify clean hydrogen potentials in the continent but will also consider related social, political, climate, infrastructure, policy and environmental issues.”
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