Freeport Saldanha, in partnership with Siemens Energy Southern Africa, recently hosted a “Green Hydrogen Lunch” at the UCT Graduate School of Business Conference Centre, Cape Town.
The programme highlighted to the business and public sector the potential of regional collaboration in this rapidly emerging clean energy field. South Africa and Namibia are exploring localisation opportunities in shared infrastructure, supply chain development and the decarbonisation potential of mining and other sectors.
The two countries are naturally endowed with enormous resources and share similar goals for sustainable economic growth and energy security. This gathering examined how an integrated and coordinated approach between public and private sector stakeholders would best facilitate these opportunities.
During his welcome address Velile Dube, the head of Economic Development and Tourism Western Cape Government, said, “To advance the course to a green hydrogen value chain we will need greater collaboration, not only between South Africa and Namibia, but collaboration between the public and private sector stakeholders. We look forward to seeing how the collaboration can be realised through shared infrastructure and making sure we share the best of our minds in realising this dream.”
James Mnyupe, Green Hydrogen Commissioner for the Government of the Republic of Namibia and Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Head of the Investment and Infrastructure Office at The Presidency in South Africa, presented the keynote addresses. In his keynote address James Mnyupe discussed a deep appreciation for the journey Namibia has undertaken and what they’ve done in the public sector. He added, “Enabling infrastructure comes in all forms from hard, such as the regulatory environment and the support given through their structures to assist private project developers, to the soft, such as relationship and capacity building within our institutions.”
Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa delivered the second keynote address and said, “Opportunities around green hydrogen requires a great deal of collaboration between the governments of South Africa and Namibia, and Mr James Mnyupe and I have a great appreciation of what that means for the region and the continent at large. Working together we can achieve more.”
Freeport Saldanha CEO Kaashifah Beukes said, “It is clear that public-private partnerships are the most viable way to achieving economic and social success. PPPs will be crucial in building awareness and implementing the broad array of mutual advantages between Namibia and South Africa in developing green hydrogen for the benefit of the Southern African region.”
She added that Saldanha Bay was the perfect investment location for PPPs to develop a world-class, globally competitive, green hydrogen and derivatives production hub alongside the projects underway in Boegoeberg se Baai and Namibia.
“Being a Freeport is a value-add in itself and has significant strategic advantages,” she said. “As a special economic zone, we can catalyse regional industrial development and help launch a hydrogen complex that benefits both the public and private sectors.”
Freeport Saldanha has been identified as one of the nine green hydrogen projects with priority status in the R300-billion investment pipeline under South Africa’s Green Hydrogen National Programme (SAGHNP). This programme has been designated a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) for accelerated development under the country’s Infrastructure Development Act.
Thabo Molekoa, Managing Director, Siemens Energy Southern Africa added, “Green hydrogen has the potential to play a key role in the Energy Transition and in the decarbonization of the global economy. Collaboration between private and public sectors across regions like South Africa and Namibia, are key in developing sustainable and carbon-free energy solutions which will drive green economic growth for the benefit of future generations.”
Siemens Energy works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power generation and transmission to storage.
Panellists for the panel discussion included Kaashifah Beukes, CEO of Freeport Saldanha; Thabo Molekoa, Chairman and MD at Siemens Energy SA; Ipeleng Selele, Group CEO at RRS Trade & Investment; Jerome Namaseb, CEO at Daures Green Hydrogen Village; Mercia Grimbeek, Director project development at Enertrag SA; Hendrik Louw, CEO at NCEDA.
