Green Hydrogen in South Africa: Strategic Enablers for a Sustainable and Competitive Economy

This report sets out an integrated roadmap for building a globally competitive green hydrogen economy in South Africa. It identifies strategic enablers across industrial transformation, infrastructure development, regulatory reform, and socio-economic advancement. Central to this roadmap is the development of green steel and fertiliser production, the scaling of sustainable fuels for maritime and aviation sectors, and the rollout of transport and delivery infrastructure for green molecules.

The report also highlights the need for robust regulatory frameworks, including standards, certification, and national strategic environmental assessments, alongside strengthened hydrogen diplomacy and coordinated efforts to de-risk projects to unlock real investment.

With proactive and coordinated action, South Africa can position itself as a reliable global partner in the green hydrogen transition while driving domestic industrial renewal, strengthening infrastructure, uplifting communities, and enhancing long-term competitiveness in a carbon-constrained world.

The report is organised into 12 thematic areas, each illustrating South Africa’s unique Power-to-X opportunities:

1. South Africa's Potential to Produce Cost-Competitive Green Hydrogen
2. Power-to-X as a Strategic Business Opportunity for South Africa
3. Resource and Infrastructure Benefits of Green Hydrogen and Power-to-X
4. Leveraging Green Hydrogen for South Africa's Economic Resilience and Global Value Chain Integration
5. Sustainable Maritime Fuels: A Catalyst for Launching South Africa's Green Hydrogen Economy
6. Pathway for 'Just' Socio-Economic Development
7. Pathway to Green Molecule Transportation Infrastructure
8. Green Hydrogen Diplomacy
9. Coordinated Action to Reduce Project Risk and Enable Implementation
10. Powering Global Trade: How Regulations, Standards and Certification Unlock Markets
11. Implementing a National Strategic Environmental Assessment for the South African Green Hydrogen Sector
12. Maritime and Aviation Sustainable Fuels: Rethinking Carbon to Kick-Start Markets