JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The Coega Green Ammonia project in Nelson Mandela Bay has reached another milestone – the permitting of a 1 430 MW solar PV cluster development phase that will supply 40% of the power required by the green-hydrogen-linked project.

As green hydrogen and platinum group metals (PGMs) go hand-in-glove, South Africa’s PGMs mining industry will surely be holding thumbs that Hive opts for PGM-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology in view of PEM being able to cope particularly well with the cyclicality of renewable energy.

Hive Hydrogen South Africa chairperson Thulani Gcabashe, who is a former Eskom CEO and Standard Bank chair, is at the forefront the R105-billion Coega Green Ammonia project development, which will use solar and wind energy, desalinated Indian Ocean water, and nitrogen extracted from the air to produce green hydrogen-derived green ammonia for export predominantly to offtakers in Europe and the Far East. Exportation will be from the Port of Ngqura, alongside the Coega Special Economic Zone where the production plant is located, in Gqeberha.

Conclusion of the latest solar cluster phase keeps project development “firmly on track to achieve commercial operation in Q4 2029”, Gcabashe assured in a release to Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

Being in South Africa’s Northern Cape province means that Crossroads Green Energy’s R15-billion solar cluster is within one of the world’s highest average annual solar irradiation areas and the Coega project itself will have the capacity to produce more than one-million tons of green hydrogen-derived green ammonia a year.

“This will be the largest solar PV project in the country and in the southern hemisphere,” Hive Hydrogen and Hive Africa stated. Besides the 1 430 MW of solar PV, also detailed are two wind clusters with a combined 1 880 MW potential.

Gcabashe, whose BuiltAfrica owns 25% of Hive Hydrogen South Africa and the UK’s Hive Energy, headed by CEO Giles Redpath, 75%, reported that the project’s solar development phase has been strongly supported by the South African government through the Strategic Integrated Projects team, “who have assisted us throughout the extensive consent and permitting processes necessary and we are very thankful for their diligence, dedication and backing”.

“Additionally, we’re pleased that our project’s planned grid strengthening programme will unlock as much as 20 000 MW of additional grid capacity for Independent Power Producers in South Africa to connect their large projects to the grid,” Gcabashe pointed out.

Redpath pointed out that this was the largest solar PV project the Hive Energy Group had in its portfolio across 22 countries: “It’s a true testament to the South African government's commitment and leadership position on renewable energy and its application in producing sustainable, clean fuels," said Redpath, who found it noteworthy that the milestone had been reached in the week of the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town.

Mayor Andrew Samson has expressed delight at the extent to which community engagement by Crossroads and Hive had been carried out within the Renosterberg local municipality, in the Pixley Ka Seme District.

“We’re looking forward to constructing the project together and seeing the benefits it will bring to our people and the country," Samson added.

Co-developers of the nine Crossroads solar sites, close to Philipstown, Petrusville and Vanderkloof, are the French renewables and independent power producer company Akuo Energy, Africoast Investments South Africa and Golden Sunshine Trading South Africa.

Following an objection-free environmental-impact assessment for 1 230 MW of solar in May 2024, a supplementary 200 MW was confirmed, along with the required combined permits, authorisations, clearances, and consents.

Africoast directors Donald McGillivary and Venance da Silva pointed out that the “best practice” solar power plant development used a maximum of 10% of agricultural land, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

“This approach allows the co-existence of agricultural production and renewable-energy investments and provides a clear example of responsible and sustainable investments in green energy projects. All land is fully restored to its original state when the plant is decommissioned,” they reassured.

Golden Sunshine Trading land and liaison manager and director Kennett Sinclair remarked that the project would bring “meaningful” income for more farmers over a wider area, create more sustainable agricultural enterprises, increase employment, improve the lives of communities and contribute to a cleaner environment for future generations.

Akuo director Xavier Ducret was upbeat about the contribution of all role players, including the specialists and government entities.

Hive has established some to the world’s leading solar PV projects, including the UK’s largest 379 MW solar park at Cleve Hill in Kent, and is leading the first green hydrogen hub in Spain.

To date, Hive’s projects have generated more than $3-billion capital expenditure in green energy projects, saving nearly two-million tonnes of CO₂ each year.

The Coega project will have a Haber-Bosch Ammonia loop producing 1 000 000 t a year amid 1 120 MW of green hydrogen electrolyser, up to four 35 000 t ammonia storage tanks, and a 7 km cryogenic ammonia pipeline linking the plant to the deep water export berth in the Port of Ngqura.