“Our beloved continent, Africa, the cradle of humanity, is in a privileged position to become a key player in green hydrogen, thanks to its abundant renewable resources,” stated Ramaphosa at the African Green Hydrogen Summit, held in Cape Town, southwest of South Africa.
“Green hydrogen is a way to combine Africa’s mineral wealth with our renewable energy resources to decarbonize heavy industries, create jobs, stimulate investment, and boost inclusive cross-border growth,” emphasized the president on the first day of the forum, which concludes on Friday.
The President noted that the growing global demand for clean hydrogen, as countries decarbonize their industries, transportation, and energy systems, presents “limitless opportunities” for the continent.
The African continent is gearing up to seize this moment with initiatives like the African Green Hydrogen Alliance, which includes countries such as Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, and South Africa.
“More than 52 large-scale green hydrogen projects have been announced across the continent,” highlighted Ramaphosa, adding that the Alliance aims to produce “between 30 and 60 million tons of green hydrogen by 2050.”
In terms of job creation, these projects could lead to the creation of between two and four million new jobs in the Alliance member states by 2050.
To seize the opportunities, the South African leader advocated for the establishment of appropriate political and regulatory environments and advancing the development of regional certification systems, hydrogen corridors, and platforms for exporting green products.
Green hydrogen refers to the production of hydrogen generated by low-emission renewable energies, such as solar and wind.
This technology is based on generating hydrogen—a universal fuel—through a chemical process called electrolysis.
This method uses electrical current to separate hydrogen from the oxygen found in water, so if this electricity is obtained from renewable sources, energy is produced without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
