The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, will launch the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Infrastructure Centre of Competence (CoC) at North West University in Potchefstroom, on Friday, 31 May 2013 at 14h30.
Co-hosted by North West University and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the CoC is mandated to deliver technologies for renewable hydrogen production, storage and distribution.
In line with the overall goal of the Hydrogren and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development and Innovation Strategy, the focus of current activities is on developing applications and solutions for small and medium-scale hydrogen production through research, development and innovation, with the objective of promoting the beneficiation of platinum group metals (PGMs), of which South Africa has large reserves.
The technologies for hydrogen production, storage and distribution infrastructure need to be cost effective and provide the best balance of safety, reliability, robustness, quality and functionality. The production of such technologies would prepare South Africa to become a significant supplier of material, components, products and subsystems for hydrogen-related applications.
The key technologies being pursued by the CoC are focused on, among other things, hydrogen storage materials, hydrogen reticulation and delivery; systems integration for hydrogen production and delivery; andPGM recycling.
The establishment of the CoC is driven by the HySA strategy, whose vision is to use local resources and existing knowledge to create critical knowledge and human resources capacity, enabling the development of high-value commercial activities in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Two other HySA CoCs are already operational ‑ HySA Systems, hosted by the University of the Western Cape, and HySA Catalysis, co-hosted by the University of Cape Town and Mintek.
All media are welcome to attend.
For more information and to RSVP:
Nthabi Maoela
Cell: 082 944 0015
E-mail: nthabiseng.maoela@dst.gov.za
