In a move that bridges mining, energy and sustainability, blue ammonia producer Suiso and public research institute the Council for Geoscience (CGS) have entered a collaboration to research South Africa’s subsurface potential.

The initiative will augment the assessment of the underground carbon storage capacity being undertaken by the CGS, enhance the search for sustainable critical minerals and lay the foundation for a greener energy future.

Suiso will operate a sustainable, blue-ammonia manufacturing complex located in Kriel, Mpumalanga. The bankable feasibility study for Suiso’s R31.5-billion coal-to-fertiliser and methanol project in Kriel was completed earlier this year. The study was carried out through engineering services firm Wuhuan Engineering. The project seeks to produce sustainable fertilisers and zero-sulphur methanol.

The CGS/Suiso project, meanwhile, will help determine whether South Africa’s geological formations can store carbon emissions securely, mitigating industrial pollution while unlocking new economic opportunities in green hydrogen production and resource extraction.

This work forms part of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition ambitions, a focus that the CGS has been undertaking within its integrated geoscience mapping programme.

Findings from the CGS/Suiso initiative will help shape the next phase of energy policy, mining innovation and green economy growth.

The project arrives at a pivotal moment, as industries face mounting pressure to reduce emissions. South Africa is exploring underground carbon storage to help reduce its industrial carbon footprint while maintaining economic viability.

As global conversations on climate change intensify, the collaboration highlights Africa’s role in shaping sustainable energy solutions. Suiso and CGS are investigating not only carbon storage but also the potential for green hydrogen production.

Underground storage solutions may well strengthen national energy security while advancing South Africa’s transition to cleaner energy alternatives.

At a time when international funding for Africa’s energy transition is in flux – such as the recent withdrawal by the US of a $1-billion pledge to support Africa’s green energy shift – this initiative stands as a homegrown commitment to climate action and sustainability.

“We’re not waiting for external support to dictate our future,” says Suiso founder Paul Erskine. “South Africa has the resources and expertise to drive its own sustainable energy solutions. This project is a critical step in that direction.”

The collaboration is a major milestone for South Africa’s geo-exploration sector, particularly in the study of the Bushveld Complex; a 66 000-km2 geographic centre north of Pretoria, acknowledged to be one of the world’s richest mineral-bearing formations.

“Carbon capture is no longer an option, it’s a necessity,” Erskine says. “The Suiso/CGS joint venture lays the groundwork for a scalable solution to South Africa’s emissions challenge. But it does this while keeping industry operational and productive.”