SALDANHA Bay Industrial Development Zone – SBIDZ trading as Freeport Saldanha, together with ArcelorMittal Saldanha (AMSA), recently hosted an on-site visit as part of the “Re-industrialising Saldanha Day” initiative. The aim was to showcase Saldanha Bay’s potential as an ideal green hydrogen investment destination in the Western Cape.
Re-industrialising Saldanha Day provided an overview of pilot projects earmarked for the region, demonstrating how the region will be a critical player and catalyst in supporting South Africa’s Just Energy Transition and Investment Plan by creating and developing a green hydrogen economy.
Visiting stakeholders included delegates from Freeport Saldanha, the Presidency and ISA, Western Cape Government, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Saldanha Bay Municipality, Infrastructure South Africa stakeholders, academia and private energy industry businesses, including Sasol, AMSA, Atlanthia, Mainstream and Keren Energy.
The initiative forms part of the inaugural South Africa Green Hydrogen Summit (SAGHS) 2022 which took place in Cape Town from 28–30 November 2022, with President Cyril Ramaphosa giving the keynote address.
The Summit forms part of the ongoing policymaking in South Africa centred around Just Energy Transition and the Investment Plan (JET-IP), tabled by President Ramaphosa at COP27 in November. JET-IP aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of SA’s economy, reducing carbon emissions and aligning with the new energy-orientated economic growth set out in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of the Paris Agreement.
Ms Kaashifah Beukes, Freeport Saldanha CEO, welcomed visitors at the Freeport Saldanha Bay Access Complex and said, “Today, we demonstrated why Saldanha Bay is the perfect investment location to develop a world-class, globally competitive, green hydrogen and derivatives production hub in the Western Cape province.”
Beukes added, “Several reports – including that done by the CSIR – have highlighted the region’s advantages for renewable energy supply crucial for the Just Transition. We have demonstrated our innovation and readiness to unlock these new economic opportunities and embark on an industrialisation strategy, utilising the potential infrastructure in creating sustainable growth prospects for the region and the country.”
Councillor André Truter, Saldanha Bay Executive Mayor, said, “Saldanha Bay is a people centred municipality and we are busy with a legacy project that could fundamentally change the way our children will be positioned economically and environmentally. As we move through this project, we should not forget the people of South Africa and the people of Saldanha Bay. They are our most important asset in this country.“
“Saldanha Bay is perfectly positioned and ready to become not only the South African hub but the African hub of green hydrogen, for understanding energy mix, and understanding the role local Government must play in this unbelievable journey,” concluded Truter
