Sasol, Toyota SA, and Air Products SA Form Strategic Partnership to Champion Hydrogen Fuel Usage

Sasol, Toyota South Africa, and Air Products South Africa have announced a collaborative proof-of-concept project intended to promote the use of hydrogen as a sustainable fuel. This partnership was unveiled at the 2021 Smarter Mobility Africa event held at the Gallagher Estates in Midrand.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who was also present at the event, amplified the province's Vision 2030 that intends to slowly move away from Johannesburg’s historically prevalent mining sector towards prioritizing digital advancements, including smart mobility solutions.

Sasol has a reputation for producing hydrogen fuel in either its liquid or gaseous form, while Air Products has over 25 years of experience in hydrogen fuelling, supplying necessary dispensing technology crucial to this endeavour. Toyota SA, contributing their knowledge of automotives, provided a hydrogen-powered Mirai car for demonstration, which is equipped with a fuel cell that converts stored hydrogen into power for its electric motors.

Fleetwood Grobler, the CEO of Sasol, expressed his excitement about the partnership, terming it as an "essential stepping stone towards realizing the ambitious goal of developing an on-road hydrogen mobility ecosystem."

Sasol had already produced an initial 3MW batch of green hydrogen from a solar farm in Sasolburg and disclosed plans for complementing this with an additional 69MW from a wind farm located in the Eastern Cape come 2024. They hope this escalated production will generate power sufficient to enable commercialisation.

The event also showcased a proof-of-concept demonstration, with a bespoke Air Products hydrogen tank pumping fuel into a mobile hydrogen dispenser. This clean energy approach primarily targets electrifying heavy-duty vehicles within the logistics, transportation, and mining sectors.

Andrew Kirby, the CEO of Toyota SA, pinpointed commercializing this hydrogen mobility ecosystem in South Africa as the main challenge due to the high costs involved. He stressed the need for more partnerships, investors, government support, and committed businesses willing to purchase hydrogen FCEVs and necessary hydrogen in substantial quantities.