German-South African Task Force intensifies cooperation for green hydrogen

On 18 March 2024, the South Africa-German Hydrogen Task Force met at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) offices in Berlin. The bilateral Hydrogen Task Force was established in 2023 with a joint statement by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Dr Robert Habeck and Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity in the Office of the President of South Africa.  

In keeping with the momentum established in 2023, the second Task Force meeting provided an opportunity for South Africa and Germany to deepen cooperation in the field of green hydrogen by focusing on financing joint hydrogen projects and strengthening resilient value chains. In addition, the meeting provided an opportunity for an exchange between German federal states and South African provinces on cooperation at a country-to-country level.  

During her opening remarks, Dr Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMWK, emphasized the potential of the cooperation stating that "Germany relies on international partnerships for a resilient economy and the achievement of our climate targets. South Africa is already Germany's largest trading partner in Africa and has ambitious goals for a green hydrogen economy and domestic value creation. Our two countries will continue to benefit from industrial and trade cooperation."   

The German and South African partners jointly assessed the financing instruments for green hydrogen cooperation and the priority projects for the production and transport of green hydrogen and Power-to-X products. During the discussion sessions, task force members engaged with private sector participants on current and future investments in South Africa.  

Using green hydrogen products is crucial for achieving Germany’s climate neutrality targets. South Africa is considered an ideal location for the emission-free production of green hydrogen and derivative products, as it has sufficient solar radiation, wind potential and land area. In addition, the country has significant raw material deposits and expertise in relevant manufacturing processes to produce synthetic fuels. Similarly, the development of a green hydrogen economy offers the opportunity to build new industrial value chains.