[ad_1]
President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting prime minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and Mette Frederiksen of Denmark to discuss electricity insecurity in South Africa, the Just Energy Transition and future investment opportunities such as green hydrogen.
Both delegations have brought members of companies wishing to make agreements with the South African government.
Speaking at the introductory roundtable accompanied by the EU prime minister, Ramaphosa called for close cooperation between South Africa and the EU, specifically in the renewable energy space, citing the Just Energy Transition agreement.
He said that the country appreciates foreign interest in the sector.
Mark Rutte, of the Netherlands said that the Netherlands wishes to get more insight into what is happening in Africa; however, its main focus is on the energy transition.
Rutte said it is important for people to understand that the just energy transition is not just about addressing energy insecurity but also creating jobs, further economic opportunities and business.
Mette Frederiksen of Denmark added that her country brings private investment to South Africa and wishes for a just transition to address energy insecurity. She added that there are many new possibilities in the green sector.
Speaking to SABC News, Naledi Pandor, the minister of international relations, said that the high-level meetings taking place between the two countries and Ramaphosa would analyse energy resources and support, specifically those related to the transition.
“Denmark has gone a long way in terms of clean energy resources, a number of companies are here to look for opportunities as well as the hydrogen green hydrogen,” said the minister.
South Africa currently has $8.5 billion pledged from rich countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands in the form of conditional loans to help the country transition towards renewable energy, the Just Energy Transition Plan (JTEP).
For the country to be successful, the JETP relies on the implementation of Eskom’s strategy.
As the state power utility accountable for approximately 40% of South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, Eskom aims to replace most of its 14 remaining coal plants with renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
However, the company has stumbled in making progress in the transition due to increasingly severe and frequent load shedding. Money pledged by wealthier countries also includes investments into alternative fuel supplies such as green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen
Talk of South Africa as a hotspot for green hydrogen has been steadily increasing, with the energy being seen as something of a ‘gold rush’ in the country.
Green hydrogen is a clean energy source produced through a process called electrolysis.
It involves using renewable electricity, from wind or solar, to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike traditional hydrogen production methods, green hydrogen does not generate carbon emissions, making it a sustainable solution for a low-carbon future.
South Africa is seen as an ideal place to produce green hydrogen thanks to its climate, abundance of and proximity to oceans and academic expertise in the field, among other things.
Read: De Ruyter should not have been fired: Eskom’s legal head
[ad_2]
Source link