'Fuel cell tech can solve SA energy crisis'

Hydrogen fuel cells have been touted as the best alternative to solving the country's strained energy supply.

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As South Africa experiences an ongoing electricity supply crisis, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) says hydrogen fuel cell technology (HFCT) can be an alternative energy source.

Fuel cell technology generates clean electricity from hydrogen to power buildings and transportation, while emitting nothing but water. According to the DST, fuel cell technologies are more efficient, reliable, quieter and compact, and bring down the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

DST director-general Dr Phil Mjwara says the pace of hydrogen fuel cell technology development in the country is encouraging. To date, the DST has been involved in the development of a 2.5-kilowatt generator at the University of the Western Cape, which has freed up the grid to be used by other applications.

"The fuel cell generator provides power for lights at the Cape Flats Nature Reserve," he says.

"Another fuel cell project has seen HFCT successfully used as standby power at three schools in Cofimvaba, in the rural Eastern Cape, having a profound effect on learning and the lives of ordinary people," Mjwara explains.

Although hydrogen fuel cell technology has been identified as the next solution for the country's power supply shortages, the production process is still expensive.

Hydrogen fuel cells are costly to produce due to the platinum used as a catalyst in the process, something that will need to be reduced if this technology is to be competitive.

However, the department says South Africa has strong potential to achieve cost reduction through development of local platinum group metals (PGMs)-based technology.

The DST says hydrogen fuel cell technology has great potential in SA because of the prevalence of platinum reserves in the country.

The DST says it has established three centres of competence, which will be responsible for ensuring the goal of supplying 25% of the PGMs is reached.

Issues around the storage and distribution of hydrogen also need to be resolved before the technology can be scaled up and commercialised, the DST notes.