This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

The green hydrogen and green ammonia project in South Africa's Nelson Mandela Bay has taken a major step forward.

Its latest advance involves the selection of a $1-billion green hydrogen generating electrolyser and ammonia loop solution, which is capable of producing a million tonnes of green ammonia a year at $650/t.

The project is being developed by Hive Hydrogen, underpinned by Hive Energy of the UK and BuiltAfrica of South Africa.

Hive Energy is headed by co-owner and CEO Giles Redpath and BuiltAfrica is headed by Thulani Gcabashe, a former CEO of Eskom and a former chairperson of Standard Bank.

The environmental-impact assessment has been completed and the front end engineering design is under way.

Hive Hydrogen has been working since September 2019 to establish the renewable-energy-powered plant for the Coega project, which is on track to conclude final investment decision (FID) by the third quarter of next year.

The project is underpinned by 1 499 MW of wind power and 1 430 MW of solar power, and is partnering ammonia offtake companies in the Far East and Europe.

The solid oxide electrolyser technology from Danish company Topsoe reduces capital expenditure on renewables by €0.5-billion-plus and the project will also benefit from a 25% reduction in electricity transmission and wheeling costs, which lowers overall operating costs and brings down the selling price of its unsubsidised green ammonia to "one of the lowest globally", Hive Hydrogen stated in a media release to Mining Weekly.

Last year, Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa conferred 'lighthouse' excellence status to the $5.8-billion project, which is capturing global attention.

Hive Hydrogen GM Colin Loubser has expressed the belief that the project will likely provide the world's lowest-cost green ammonia, a product that enables unacceptable sea pollution to be brought to an end. The maritime business is a heavy polluter of the oceans. The use of heavy fuel oils and diesels not only pollutes the air, but spillages also pollute the water and the sector has major carbonisation issues.

As a consequence, the number of ships that have been commissioned to run on green ammonia as a maritime fuel is increasing exponentially.

The green ammonia engines for shipping have reached technology readiness level nine, which means they are bankable and of high quality.

Shifts in green ammonia demand are arising out of the fertiliser industry.

Interestingly, the Hydrogen Council reports from Milan and Brussels that $110-billion worth of investment is now committed to more than 500 clean hydrogen projects that are past FID, in construction, or already operational.

Since 2020, the sector has averaged a 50% year-over-year committed investment growth rate, the council's Global Hydrogen Compass, which is co-authored with McKinsey & Company, reports.

Total committed capacity now exceeds six-million tonnes per year (mtpa), including 1 mtpa already in operation.

On the demand side, about 3.6 mtpa of binding offtake has been secured. As policy clarity emerges in key markets such as the EU, US, Japan, and Korea, up to 8 mtpa of clean hydrogen demand could materialise by 2030.

China is leading the world with committed investment of $33-billion and more than half of the world's renewable hydrogen production capacity. North America is next with $23-billion, and Europe third with $19-billion.

Despite a challenging environment, 74% of CEOs surveyed reported stable or increased investment appetite over the last two years while 97% expressed the belief that hydrogen would be a critical decarbonisation solution for hard-to-abate sectors. More than 80 expected hydrogen industry growth to continue.

In the view of the Global Hydrogen Compass hydro...