Amid a global focus on driving a just energy transition, local and international collaboration initiatives on green hydrogen remain important, speakers highlighted during the Hydrogen Economy Discussion, this week.
Delegation of the European Union (EU) to South Africa deputy ambassador Fulgencio Garrido Ruiz said the EU had designed a new growth and investment model for 2030 amid growing instability and strategic competition.
“It's a model that is predicated on a robust, stronger economic base . . . reducing energy dependencies and diversifying value chains,” he said, pointing out that up to 50% of European hydrogen demand is anticipated to be covered through imports.
Hence, he argued that, in order to have a secure supply of green hydrogen, the EU needed to build international partnerships.
In this vein, Ruiz noted that the EU had ten partnerships globally on green hydrogen, including with South Africa.
“What we want is to continue to advance our respective green energy transitions, but at the same time, also contribute to the implementation of the industrial strategies of our partner countries,” he said.
“What we want is to, with our investments, add value to the local economy, and to help our partner countries to move up the value chain," he added.