South Africa and the European Union are advancing discussions on a strategic partnership focused on developing and exporting green hydrogen, aiming to leverage South Africa’s abundant solar and wind resources — particularly in the Northern Cape — to produce hydrogen through electrolysis powered entirely by clean electricity.
The proposed partnership encompasses joint investment in large-scale production facilities, infrastructure for transport and storage, and regulatory frameworks to facilitate international trade, positioning South Africa as a prospective player in the global green hydrogen market.
The initiative aligns with the country’s Just Energy Transition Partnership goals and could open new export revenue streams as part of a broader economic diversification push. For the continent, the partnership sets a precedent for how African nations might pivot toward new energy commodities aligned with global decarbonisation efforts, positioning Africa as a producer and exporter of green energy rather than solely a consumer of the technology behind it.
Source: European Union