Power utility Eskom has issued an invitation to tender for the construction of a pilot renewable green hydrogen facility at its Research, Testing and Development (RT&D) unit in Johannesburg.
The invitation comes as Eskom is steadily looking to add renewable energy power to the national grid.
In April, the state-owned company issued another tender invitation for firms with a proven track record in establishing renewable energy businesses to assist it in accelerating the deployment of renewable energy solutions.
This, as South African businesses and households increasingly turn to renewable energy sources as they look to secure their energy supply, reduce costs and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Organisations and households see renewable energy as a reliable, independent power source to reduce their dependence on the grid and avoid the inconvenience of load-shedding.
Earlier this month, Eskom said it is looking to add 5.9GW renewable energy to the national grid, as the state-owned company works to ensure energy security in South Africa.
In a statement yesterday, the company said renewable green hydrogen production is a key priority to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in South Africa.
It explains that this pilot will directly contribute to informing Eskom’s decarbonisation strategy and potentially enable renewable energy deployment as it presents an excellent medium- to long-term energy storage solution.
According to the power utility, developing a pilot renewable hydrogen facility will present Eskom with an informed pathway to plan for the potential adoption of green hydrogen. It will also provide an opportunity to understand the legislative requirements and regulations related to renewable hydrogen, and provide internal skills development.
“Eskom is following a differentiated approach and multiple pathways to move from a high-carbon to low-carbon economy, and we are aggressively seeking creative, technology-led solutions to achieve this,” says Eskom group chief executive Dan Marokane.
“This is about harnessing clean energy for inclusive economic growth. The pilot facility will help our research teams understand hydrogen’s full value chain, from production to use, and ensure we’re ready to play a leading role in the transition, responsibly and inclusively.”
Eskom notes this pilot serves as an extension of RT&D’s decarbonisation research at its existing 400kW solar photovoltaic research pilot facility, which includes battery test plants that have provided valuable research across the Eskom value chain.
Last month, Eskom signed a memorandum of understanding with Exxaro Resources that focuses on collaboration on strategic initiatives, research and projects in the areas of carbon emissions reduction, air quality and just transition.
Eskom adds that it recognised the potential of green hydrogen technology as far back as 2020 and contributed to the development of South Africa’s foremost Hydrogen Society Roadmap strategy in 2021, as well as subsequent national initiatives, such as the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap.
“Eskom continues to pursue a balanced energy mix to ensure long-term energy security. While continuing to operate existing coal and nuclear assets, the organisation is introducing cleaner technologies − such as gas, renewables, battery storage and hydrogen − to meet growing electricity demand in a sustainable way,” it says.
The Eskom RT&D business unit is dedicated to finding technology solutions that can be applied primarily within the company to embrace innovation, enhance efficiency and improve operations, with improvements related to emissions management, greenhouse gas abatement and beyond.
The utility notes that one of the key areas of focus for RT&D is assisting the business in a differentiated approach with multiple pathways to move from high-carbon to low-carbon energy sources through identifying technology and processes that enable the economy to be competitive and sustainable, while enabling Eskom to be as efficient as possible.
Share