State-owned utility Eskom has issued an invitation to tender (ITT) for the construction of a pilot renewable green hydrogen facility (RHF) at its Research, Testing and Development (RT&D) unit, in Johannesburg.

Renewable green hydrogen production is a key priority to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in South Africa, the entity points out.

This pilot will directly contribute to informing Eskom’s decarbonisation strategy and potentially enable renewable-energy deployment, which the entity says presents an “excellent” medium- to long-term energy storage solution.

Developing a pilot RHF will provide Eskom with an informed pathway to plan for the potential adoption of green hydrogen, an opportunity to understand the legislative requirements and regulations related to renewable hydrogen and internal skills development.

“Eskom is following a differentiated approach and multiple pathways to move from a high-carbon to low-carbon economy, and we are aggressively seeking creative, technology-led solutions to achieve this,” says Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane.

“This is about harnessing clean energy for inclusive economic growth. The pilot facility will help our research teams understand hydrogen's full value chain, from production to use, and ensure we’re ready to play a leading role in the transition responsibly and inclusively,” he adds.

This pilot serves as an extension of RT&D’s decarbonisation research at its existing 400 kW solar PV research pilot facility, which includes battery test plants, that Eskom highlights have provided valuable research across its value chain.

Last month, Eskom signed a memorandum of understanding with miner Exxaro Resources that focuses on collaboration on strategic initiatives, research, and projects in the areas of carbon emissions reduction, air quality and just transition.

Eskom is also accelerating the establishment of a separate renewable-energy business, having recently issued an ITT for firms with a proven track record in establishing renewable-energy businesses to assist the entity in accelerating the deployment of renewable-energy solutions.

Eskom avers that it recognised the potential of green hydrogen technology as far back as 2020 and contributed to the development of South Africa’s foremost Hydrogen Society Roadmap strategy in 2021, as well as subsequent national initiatives such as the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap.

“Eskom continues to pursue a balanced energy mix to ensure long-term energy security. While continuing to operate existing coal and nuclear assets, the organisation is introducing cleaner technologies such as gas, renewables, battery storage, and hydrogen to meet growing electricity demand in a sustainable way,” the entity points out.

Eskom currently has an executable pipeline of 2 GW of clean energy projects by 2026 and over 20 GW in development, it highlights.