Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity and Energy,touring at Isondo Precious Metals in Kempton Park, Gauteng. Image: Department of Electricity and Energy/Facebook.
(The Post News)- Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa conducted site tour on the sidelines of the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit Media Launch at Isondo Precious Metals in OR Tambo Special Economic Zone, Kempton Park, Gauteng, on Tuesday 10 June.
Isondo Precious Metals is one of Africa’s first facilities producing Platinum Group Metal-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and catalysts for electrolysers, vital components in green hydrogen technology. It is pioneering Africa’s role in the global hydrogen economy, while boosting re-industrialisation and local manufacturing capacity.
After the site visit, Dr Ramokgopa spoke to Isondo members, where he advised them to offer opportunities to young people who come from disadvantaged communities, in order to broaden opportunities.
“I am a beneficiary of the generosity of someone, coming from a township where parents have never been to school… Someone had a confidence in me and I was able to complete my civil engineering,” Dr Ramokgopa said.
The Minister said that they have set a voluntary target aiming at curbing emissions problems caused by the 80% of electricity coal production.
” We are committed to the reduction of anything between 350 million tons of CO2 to equivalent to 420 million tons of CO2 to equivalent, between now and 2030,” he said.
However, Dr Ramokgopa highlighed there is still much progress to be done before accomplishing their goal, saying that on the electricity front they are still building the new generation capacity that is coming from renewable to ensure that their mission is possible. He also stressed the need of modernising and expanding of transmission, which will require 14 thousand kilometers of new lines and 450 billion rands to complete the project.
“We have announced how we are going to go into the market to get that contribution,” he added.
Dr Ramakogopa’s department says Green Hydrogen is the future of energy that will be produced using renewable forces through a process called electrolysers, which separates water into hydrogen and oxygen.
They also state that the clean fuel is essential for reducing green house gas emissions and decarbonising industries.
The Green Hydrogen Summit will be hosted at the Century City Conference Center in Cape Town on 12-13 June 2025.
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