Nuclear Production of Hydrogen, Fourth Information Exchange ...

SOUTH AFRICA’S NUCLEAR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
• Building on the existing knowledge in high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors and coal
gasification Fischer-Tropsch technology, to develop local cost-competitive hydrogen generation
solutions.
• To promote equity and inclusion in the economic benefits from South Africa’s resource rent.
Strategic goals
The objectives will be advanced by pursuing the following strategic goals:
• establishing a base for hydrogen production, storage technologies and processes;
• establishing a base for developing catalysts based on PGM resources;
• building on existing global knowledge to develop know-how to leap-frog existing fuel cell
technologies for niche applications to address regional developmental challenges.
Elements of South Africa’s hydrogen production programme
In response to the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies R&D and Innovation Strategy (DST,
2007), the Hydrogen Infrastructure Competence Centre (CC) comprising of the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR) and North-West University (NWU) developed a business plan which
incorporates a strategic vision for national innovation for hydrogen production, storage and
distribution for the next fifteen years. The Hydrogen Infrastructure CC will be a virtual hub in which
resource and facilities between the two institutions are utilised. The Hydrogen Infrastructure CC is
tasked with developing hydrogen production, storage and distribution projects as well as relevant
codes and standards within the framework of the DST strategic objectives. It also promotes the
Department of Science and Technology Ten-year Innovation Plan for South Africa which calls for the
achievement of a number of grand challenge outcomes for South Africa by 2018.
The criteria used for selecting the preferred projects include alignment with the DST strategy,
early industrial interest and potential for commercial application, opportunity to leverage local
technologies, synergy with international initiatives, opportunity for economic development, knowledge
production and human resource development, synergy between projects and opportunity for spin-off
technologies and local product, business and technology development.
The five year vision of the Hydrogen Infrastructure CC is to:
• be a significant player in the mastering of existing and the discovery of new solutions for
hydrogen production, storage and distribution, leading to the development and application of
new products and processes which improve the competitiveness of South African industry
and the quality of life of all South Africans.
• prepare South Africa to participate in hydrogen-related applications, primarily by
beneficiating its resource base in becoming a significant supplier of material, components,
products, sub-systems and systems for export, as well as appropriate introduction of
technology related to hydrogen production, storage and distribution into the South African
economy.
The fifteen year vision for the Hydrogen Infrastructure CC is that, in selected applications, it will
be a leading, well established and internationally recognised centre for research and innovation into
solutions for hydrogen production, storage and distribution addressing the specific needs of
developing countries and gearing maximum participation to derive the full benefit of South African
strategic reserves and capabilities.
The objectives of the Hydrogen Infrastructure CC are to:
• establish a hydrogen infrastructure science and technology base;
• establish a hydrogen infrastructure science and technology human resource base;
• establish raw material beneficiation and product development for hydrogen applications.
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