South Africa will use its Chairship of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) to advance the green hydrogen agenda on the continent and support opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, technology transfer, economic and employment opportunities.
This is according to Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was handed Chairship of the AGHA on the sidelines of the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS), which took place from 04-06 September 2023 in Nairobi Kenya.
“Green hydrogen and its associated large scale renewable energy production has the potential to support the expansion of the electricity transmission infrastructure, to add additional renewable energy generation capacity and to support the local development of renewable energy.
“As such it is a key component of South Africa’s future energy mix to achieve sustainable energy security,” the Ministry for Electricity said on Thursday.
AGHA was formed in May 2022 by six African countries, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa, to drive decarbonisation through green hydrogen.
The alliance seeks to intensify collaboration and supercharge the development of green hydrogen projects on the African continent in line with the Just Energy Transition.
“It focuses on public and regulatory policy, capacity building, financing and certification needs to mobilise green hydrogen production for domestic use and export. The inclusion of the Ethiopia and Angola’s membership were also announced alongside South Africa’s Chairship,” the Ministry for Electricity said.
During the ACS, the Minister participated in panel sessions where he shared lessons on South Africa’s energy outlook and the role of green hydrogen in supporting energy security and driving green industrialisation.
On the margins of the Summit, the Minister engaged in multiple high-level bilateral meetings to explore energy collaborations and meaningful partnerships in the energy space.
The Minister’s participation at the Summit was underpinned by a commitment to consistent, sustainable and affordable energy supply for South Africa.
Source: South African Government News Agency