Eskom, South Africa’s national power utility, has issued an invitation for companies to tender for the construction of a pilot renewable green hydrogen facility (RHF) at its Johannesburg Research, Testing and Development (RT&D) unit. This significant step underscores Eskom’s commitment to achieving South Africa’s net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.
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Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane emphasized that this pilot is a crucial part of the utility’s strategy to transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon grid. “This is about harnessing clean energy for inclusive economic growth,” Marokane stated. “We are aggressively seeking creative, technology-led solutions to achieve this.” He added that the RHF will enable Eskom’s research teams to understand the entire hydrogen value chain, from production to utilization, ensuring the utility is prepared to play a leading and responsible role in the energy transition.
Eskom has been exploring the potential of green hydrogen since 2020, actively contributing to the development of the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap strategy in 2021 and subsequent national initiatives. The utility believes this pilot project will directly inform its decarbonization strategy and potentially accelerate renewable energy deployment. It views green hydrogen as an “excellent” medium to long-term energy storage solution.
The RHF is expected to provide Eskom with a clear pathway for the potential adoption of green hydrogen, offering insights into legislative requirements and regulations, and fostering internal skills development. This pilot will extend the decarbonization research already underway at RT&D’s existing 400kW solar PV research pilot facility, which includes battery test plants providing valuable data across Eskom’s operations.
This initial step in Eskom’s green hydrogen research plan follows a key Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Exxaro in April 2025. This MoU signifies a collaboration between the power utility and the mining giant on strategic initiatives, research, and projects focused on carbon emissions reduction, air quality, and a just transition. Furthermore, Eskom is actively accelerating the establishment of a separate renewable energy business, having recently issued a tender seeking experienced firms to assist in expediting its renewable energy deployments.
