Viable fuel cell manufacturing gains momentum in SA

Cape Town - The South African government’s efforts to develop a viable fuel cell manufacturing industry that will contribute in stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, generating export revenue and producing cleaner energy are gaining traction, according to Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Rob Davies.

Davies commented ahead of a two-day fuel cell bus workshop that the dti will be hosting in Cape Town in partnership with the German government this week.  

The purpose of the workshop is to provide a platform where SA can learn from the Germans, who have successfully rolled-out fuel cell buses in various cities of the country.

According to Davies, the main focus of SA’s fuel cell strategy is to develop a globally competitive fuel cell manufacturing industry adding value to SA’s platinum resources that will drive market growth and ensure long-term sustainability of the country’s platinum mining industry.

“The beneficiation of platinum group metals (PGMs) is a key objective of SA’s beneficiation strategy. The dti has prioritised fuel cells for pro-active development based on the impact to the country’s economic growth," said Davies.

"One of the interventions identified in the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) is developing and growing PGMs beneficiation and demand for platinum in SA beyond the current levels, through the development of a fuel cell industry.”

READ: SA plans fuel cell plant to boost platinum demand

He added that the overall goal is to create a sustainable local manufacturing sector for platinum-based fuel cells and its sub-components by beneficiating the PGM minerals through appropriate mechanisms that support a local and global market.

“This will result in job creation, attracting new investments; the generation of export revenue through manufacture and export of value-added platinum based fuel cells, components and technologies; skills development; diversification of the current energy mix through production of cleaner energy; and socio-economic upliftment of our people,” emphasised Davies.

Various interventions are being put in place to stimulate demand for platinum and to gear up fuel cells as a large scale demand driver. SA’s focus is on applications in the country and sub-Saharan Africa in stationary, mobile, materials handling, mining equipment and distributed generation applications.

“Last year a steering committee comprising of government, mining houses, local engineering and manufacturing companies as well as technology providers was established to jointly craft and implement a fuel cell roadmap for industrialisation in SA, as well as to identify market opportunities and technologies for prioritisation," said Davies.

"The importance of collaboration between all spheres of government and industry to create and adopt new markets and technologies for PGMs can never be overemphasised. A number of key projects aligned to the roadmap are being pursued by the mining companies, technology developers and government.”

He is hopeful that the fuel cell bus workshop taking place in Cape Town will lead to the introduction of fuel cell buses in major South African cities after learning from the German experience.