Hydrogen fuel cell generator producer CHEM Energy SA continues to contribute to South Africa’s transition to a greener economy, having completed the construction of its hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing facility in 2020 – at the Dube Trade Port, in KwaZulu-Natal.

The facility ties in with goals set out in the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy (GHCS), as well as the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan (JET-IP) and contributes to the “reindustrialisation” of the South African economy, which has suffered under the strain of the energy crisis.

“CHEM Energy . . . offers proven commercial hydrogen fuel cell power generation products and a state-of-the-art local hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing facility, as well as its proven service partner, all of which position it to immediately contribute to the industrialisation and commercialisation of fuel cells and other hydrogen products,” says CHEM Energy SA president Angelin Maharaj.

The company employs commercially proven fuel cell stack technology, called low-temperature proton exchange membrane (LTPEM), integrated with its own methanol reformer, which enables on-site, on-demand hydrogen power generation using methanol, a simple, clean liquid fuel, as a hydrogen carrier, and eliminates the reliance of its customers on diesel-powered generators.

The CHEM fuel cell significantly reduces carbon emissions achieving near zero emissions by transitioning to green methanol to further boost the “green” credentials of its customers.

Its fuel cells come with several benefits for the energy industry and the environment, says Maharaj.

Firstly, the fuel cells are a cost-efficient alternative to diesel generators while offering a cleaner resource for energy production – which is becoming more crucial amid European and other countries’ using total carbon footprints and other environmental data as key metrics for buying and procurement decisions.

“This provides the telecommunication operators and other users with an opportunity to replace imported diesel generators with locally manufactured fuel cells that support the creation of a new, green economy, significantly contributing to job creation and broader goals related to the industrialisation, localisation and transformation of the energy sector.”

Additionally, about 80% of the content used to produce the fuel cells could be sourced locally with at-scale manufacturing, creating a “new” value chain to produce hydrogen and fuel cell products, Maharaj adds.

Going forward, the transition to a full green economy will require assistance from various green economy industry experts and the South African government.

Maharaj also encourages the deployment of pilot projects, such as hydrogen re-fuelling stations and fuel cell electric vehicles, and other stationary fuel cell power applications, to spur demand and the early adoption of hydrogen and fuel cells.

In collaboration with industry experts, stakeholders and government, CHEM Energy SA’s “shovel-ready” products and investment in the hydrogen and fuel cells market will enhance manufacturing processes and contribute to socioeconomic development.

“The GHCS, JET-IP and Climate Change Act are precursors from a policy development perspective, and CHEM Energy SA and other stakeholders are keen to collaborate with government to ensure [the] alignment and acceleration of the transition to a green economy,” he concludes.