TEAM South Africa has completed a productive mission to China aimed at unlocking critical investment for the country’s energy infrastructure, according to the Department of Electricity and Energy which said The visit served as a decisive platform to align Chinese industrial capability with South Africa’s national priorities. It said these priorities are part of the country’s industrial-led inclusive growth path which are anchored by the energy sector.
The department said the mission solidified a robust pipeline of investment interest. Beyond securing advance interest from six key Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the energy sector, the delegation made significant progress on several long-standing initiatives.
Key highlights include Sasol’s commissioning of Envision to design a green hydrogen system for its Sasolburg operations.
This project explores the production of green hydrogen for eMethanol and, eventually, sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF), aligning with Sasol’s broader strategy to decarbonise industrial assets. The mission also facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between South Africa’s National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) and the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to collaborate on advanced nuclear waste disposal technologies.
The visit also featured technical site visits focused on green hydrogen, green ammonia, green energy supply to data centres, and nuclear waste storage and disposal facilities, ultra-high voltage transmission technologies, as well as Special Economic Zones. The visit was focussed on strengthening industrial expansion.
“By bridging the gap between policy and implementation, the delegation has established a clear roadmap for the next phase of development. The mission concludes with Team South Africa fully prepared to consolidate and reconcile final commitments, translate technical insights from the site visits into actionable project pipelines, and accelerate the execution of high-impact energy and infrastructure projects,” the department said in a media statement.
