South Africa Explores Cooperation With China’s Institute For Clean Energy

A significant step toward enhancing collaboration between China and South Africa in clean energy research and innovation was taken when the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, paid a visit to the National Institute of Clean and Low-Carbon Energy (NICE) in China.

Minister Nzimande is a member of the delegation accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa on his state visit to President Xi Jinping, which includes participation in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing from 2 to 5 September.

President Ramaphosa’s visit follows President Xi Jinping’s state visit to South Africa last year, which cemented 25 years of cooperation between the two countries.

State visit to China fuels optimism

China and South Africa have a long history of working together on scientific and technological ventures, and energy collaboration between the two countries is a priority.

Minister Nzimande met with NICE’s Vice-President, Minghui Zhang, and discussed potential areas of cooperation in renewable energy technology, hydrogen energy, and carbon capture and storage.

The goal of the meeting was to identify initiatives in which Chinese and South African industry and academic institutions might collaborate to create and execute renewable energy solutions.

Minister Nzimande said that South Africa was committed to promoting sustainable growth and reducing its carbon footprint through technology.

“South Africa is finalising its new Medium-Term Development Plan, focusing on promoting rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and job creation, and on ensuring energy security and a just energy transition,” said the Minister.

The Ministry supports the Medium-Term Development Plan

The Ministry supports the Medium-Term Development Plan through the Science, Technology and Innovation Decadal Plan, which includes a focus on energy innovation.

Flagship energy programmes cover renewable energy (with a focus on solar and wind power), hydrogen energy (among other things, developing value-added components for the hydrogen and fuel cell value chain as part of the Hydrogen Society Roadmap for South Africa), energy storage, and carbon capture, storage and use (including the capture of flue gas to produce commodities such as green ammonia).

It was agreed that a NICE delegation would visit South Africa to discuss plans for cooperation with South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.