Saldanha Bay IDZ’s green hydrogen ambitions

The Freeport Saldanha Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) says Saldanha Bay is an ideal investment location for a globally competitive green hydrogen and derivatives production hub.

It says ArcelorMittal Saldanha’s development of renewable energy along with Freeport Saldanha’s infrastructure and the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) deep-water port in the region are crucial advantages for the development of clean energy.

Read: Sasol, ArcelorMittal to jointly explore green hydrogen, carbon capture projects

On Monday, as part of ‘Re-industrialising Saldanha’ Day, a delegation including representatives from the presidency and TNPA officials undertook a site visit to SBIDZ. This was ahead of the first-ever Green Hydrogen Summit that kicked off in Cape Town, also on Monday.

The tour provided an overview of pilot projects designated for the region to demonstrate its role in supporting South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) and the JET Investment Plan (JET-IP), and in developing a green hydrogen economy.

“We demonstrated why Saldanha Bay is the perfect investment location to develop a world-class, globally competitive green hydrogen and derivatives production hub in the Western Cape,” says Freeport Saldanha CEO Kaashifah Beukes.

She notes that several reports, including those done by the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), have highlighted the region’s advantages for renewable energy supply, which is crucial for the JET-IP.

“We have demonstrated our innovation and readiness to unlock these new economic opportunities and embark on an industrialisation strategy, utilising the potential infrastructure in creating sustainable growth prospects for the region and the country.”

Read:
Greener pastures: Is South Africa ready to profit from green hydrogen?
SA sets sights on R4.3trn in hydrogen investment
Anglo American to champion development of SA’s ‘hydrogen valley’
ArcelorMittal to develop two renewable energy plants in SA

Saldanha Bay executive mayor André Truter says the region has a people-oriented municipality which is gearing towards a legacy project that could change how children in the area will be positioned both economically and environmentally.

“As we move through this project, we should not forget the people of South Africa and the people of Saldanha Bay. They are our most important asset in this country,” he adds.

“Saldanha Bay is perfectly positioned and ready to become not only the South African hub but the African hub of green hydrogen, for understanding energy mix, and understanding the role local government must play in this unbelievable journey,” says Truter.

The region’s hydrogen ambitions come as the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), just this week, adopted a new hydrogen investment strategy.

The PIC noted that hydrogen can be used to industrialise and create a hydrogen economy that includes the added benefits of job creation and localised manufacturing.

Read: PIC hops onto SA’s ‘hydrogen economy’ development plan

Nondumiso Lehutso is a Moneyweb intern.