Mining company Anglo American has announced its collaboration with ENGIE in a feasibility study to develop a "hydrogen valley" located in the platinum group metals-rich Bushveld area in South Africa.
Drill rigs at the Mogalakwena mine. Credit: Anglo American / Flickr
The project has been spearheaded by South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the South African National Development Institute (SANEDI) alongside clean energy solutions provider Bambili Energy (Bambili).
Read more: Anglo American set 2040 carbon-neutrality targets
The planned valley is supposed to stretch for 835 km from the mining company's Mogalakwena platinum mine near Mokopane to Johannesburg and to the south coast of Durban.
The collaboration comes following the launch of the 2020 South African Hydrogen Roadmap, which aims for a higher degree of integration for green hydrogen in its economy to help decarbonise key industrial sectors as well as promoting awareness and trust in the hydrogen economy.
The study is set to be conducted by ENGIE and will look into tangible solutions to build hydrogen hubs and explore opportunities for industrial and supply-scale hydrogen integration.
Anglo American's CEO Natascha Viljoen said the energy transition provides a key opportunity to drive cleaner technologies and help improve people's lives.
She added: "Anglo American was an early supporter of the global potential for a hydrogen economy, recognising its role in enabling the shift to greener energy and cleaner transport.
"Our integrated approach includes investing in new technologies, supporting entrepreneurial projects and advocating for policy frameworks that enable a supportive long-term investment environment for hydrogen to deliver that potential.”
PGM is set to be central to the operations of the hydrogen valley.
They play an important role both in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolysis used to produce hydrogen at scale and in fuel cells themselves.
Anglo American is already investing in renewable hydrogen production technology at its Mokopane mine and in the development of hydrogen-powered fuel-cell mine haul trucks – the world’s largest to run on hydrogen.
Dr Phil Mjwara, DSI Director-General, said: “The Department’s hydrogen valley partnership with Anglo American, Bambili Energy and ENGIE is an example of leveraging investments made in the Hydrogen South Africa Programme to create mechanisms for the uptake of publicly financed intellectual property.
"The hydrogen valley is among the projects that will be implemented in partnership with the private sector to support the Platinum Valley Initiative, which is aimed at supporting small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) to take advantage of opportunities in the green economy in support of a just transition.”
Read more: Anglo American face class-action lawsuit over Zambia lead poisoning
Sebastien Arbola, ENGIE Executive Vice President in charge of Thermal Generation and Energy Supply activities mentioned the project's capabilities to accelerate the hydrogen value chain to South Africa and beyond.
His company already have a demonstration project underway for the world's first hydrogen mining truck, developed at the Mokopane PGM mine.
“We believe that renewable hydrogen is key to decarbonising hard-to-abate industries and will play a fundamental role in the global economy of tomorrow. We look forward to once again joining forces with Anglo American to contribute to South Africa's energy transition and the country's economic recovery plan," he added.
Back to Homepage
Back to Energy & Utilities
Back to Metals & Mining