Blue ammonia production company Suiso and the Council for Geoscience (CGS) have entered into a collaboration to research South Africa’s subsurface potential for carbon capture and green hydrogen opportunities.

The initiative will augment the assessment of the underground carbon storage capacity being undertaken by the CGS and enhance the search for sustainable critical minerals.

The joint project 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 project will contribute to the next phase of South Africa’s energy policy, mining innovation and green economy growth.

Suiso and CGS are investigating not only carbon storage but also the potential for green hydrogen production.

International funding for Africa’s energy transition is in flux – such as the recent withdrawal by the US of the $1-billion pledge to support Africa’s green energy shift, which is why the Suiso and CGS have implemented this homegrown commitment to climate action and sustainability.

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

The collaboration is a key milestone for South Africa’s geo-exploration sector, particularly in the study of the Bushveld Complex, which is 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. The 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,” Erskine says.