South Africa’s first Green Ammonia project launched in Eastern Cape

A R75-billion Green Ammonia export plant has been launched in the Coega Industrial Development Zone in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

Once operational it will be a first of its kind in the world.

The plant will use a combined 3 200 megawatt of renewable sun and wind energy to electrolyse 3.4 mega litres of seawater a day, as part of a desalination and hydrogen extraction process.

The first phase of the plant is expected to be concluded in 2025 and be fully operational a year later.

Today, @ the launch of SA’s first Green Ammonia project.

Hive Energy and BuiltAfrica – together as Hive Hydrogen – as well as Linde plc, through its wholly owned SA subsidiary Afrox, have teamed up to establish the R75-billion green ammonia export plant in NMB (Coega SEZ). pic.twitter.com/upfoQD3zqX

— Coega Dev Corp (@coegadevcorp) January 18, 2022

Chairperson of HIVE Hydrogen Thulani Gcabashe says the target is to produce and export 780 000 tons of Ammonia per year.

“The initial production is targeting exports and that’s because we don’t yet have an ammonia industry here in South Africa but we will be in looking at in the studies that we will be doing over the years because in due course we looking at having a local market that we will be producing for.”

The Coega Industrial Development Zone was chosen as a strategic partner because of its solar and wind resources.

Coega Executive Manager, Asanda Xawuka, explains, “For any project to be successful you don’t just need land and financial resource but there are a lot of other stakeholders. For example in this project a lot of environmental studies will be involved so we facilitating all of this for hive hydrogen.”

It is estimated that once the plant is fully operational, it could create as many as 10 000 direct and indirect jobs.

The Nelson Mandela Bay MMC for Economic Development, Khusta Jack, says the investment is good news for the city’s high unemployment rates.

“This is an economic big bank for the metro that has been devastated by the pandemic so to have this a great opportunity to quick start the opportunity and restore the confidence because there is a lot of money invested here.”

Ammonia is not only used in fertilizer and cleaning chemicals, but it is also a source of fuel, especially in the shipping industry.