⎪ Cover story ⎪
Left: The NCPC-SA recently hosted a two-day hybrid event to advance the drive for sustainability and competitiveness in industrial spaces. Right: NCPC-SA Sustainable Industrial Spaces delegates highlighted the success of two flagship initiatives: the Sustainable Energy Systems for Urban-Industrial Development (SESID), to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy; and the Global Eco Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), which fosters efficient resource use, industrial symbiosis and cleaner production.
the Air Quality Act, which all incentivise industry while encouraging industrial com- pliance and investment in technologies that lower carbon emissions,” Ndivhuho Raphulu points out. “There is notable progress with regards to national awareness, capacity, skills and investment in climate resilience projects by industry, including independent power producer (IPP) industry development. We have developed basic and strategic regula- tions, and we are now well placed to accel- erate our path to decarbonisation through facilities that encourage industry to invest in green and climate-resilient technology and business development,” he notes. He adds that while some saw these regula- tions as making South African industry less competitive, many now see the long-term ad- vantages. “If a company in the UK, a company in Kenya, and a company in South Africa are all making a similar product, the competitive nature of that product would traditionally be related only to the direct cost of production and the selling price. Today, quality and the impact of that product on people’s health and the environment are additional factors to consider. The traceability of the additional quality, health and environmental factors is now a key aspect to competitiveness, par- ticularly in international markets,” he argues. Achieving decarbonisation Any production facility or industry that consumes energy, uses water and material resources, and produces waste can benefit from decarbonisation and a focus on how a plant performs against specific measures to determine and report the sources and levels of emissions. “A decarbonisation path requires a strategic and focused national capacity, skills development and investment initiatives, which all contribute to strong and sustainable economic growth. “Improving access and reducing the costs of greener technologies is a long-term pro- cess, though. The hydrogen economy is set to play a positive role in our future decar- bonisation strategy, supporting renewable energy and sustainability. Now, the costs
security due to their integrated infrastructure and key locations. The NCPC-SA is currently implementing four multi-year projects with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to drive sustainability, particularly in the area of sustainable energy. The Sustainable Energy Systems for Industrial Development (SESID) project is ac- celerating the uptake of renewable energy in industrial spaces through integrated planning and pilot projects. At the same time, the Low Carbon and Positive Energy Project promotes the optimisation of energy consumption and the generation of distributed renewable energy in industrial spaces. The Global Eco- Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), which has been operational for five years, promotes efficient resource utilisation, industrial sym - biosis, and cleaner production. Additionally, the Global Clean Hydrogen Programme is set to launch in South Africa in early 2026. Industrial spaces have significant potential to produce energy for their own consumption and to serve nearby communities, as well as to provide greener infrastructure for industrial companies of all sizes. Together with the DTIC and international project funders, these initia- tives are collaborating with selected industrial sectors, all of which are at varying levels of readiness and adoption of sustainable indus- trial development models. The NCPC-SA recently hosted a two-day hybrid event to advance this drive for sus- tainability and competitiveness in industrial spaces, bringing together key stakeholders at the CSIR ICC in Pretoria and online. “We make these opportunities and the tools we produce freely available to industry to support their journey, and we have been encouraged to see how many of South Africa’s large emitters are taking up the challenge and partnering with us and others towards a low-carbon and resource-efficient future,” concludes Raphulu. The NCPC-SA conference content, in- cluding presentations of green hydrogen and future energy models, can be viewed on the NCPC conference website, along with content from their 2024 and 2022 events. www.industrialefficiency.co.za
of green hydrogen and the technology and infrastructure required to support projects are limiting factors for project implementa- tion and viability. “Still, our government's approach is to attract private investment, leverage inter- national partnerships, and identify strategic applications for green hydrogen as a catalyst for re-industrialisation and economic trans- formation. This is not just a response to the climate crisis,” he notes, adding that tax deductions on investments in electric and hydrogen-powered vehicle production are likely sometime after 2026. Hard-to-abate sectors, such as steel, fer- tiliser, cement and heavy-duty mobility, can all benefit from adopting green hydrogen. “Our national target is to produce one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, and seven million tonnes by 2050, which would boost the economy significantly and create jobs,” he says. The NCPC-SA’s extended offering The NCPC-SA support is one way the govern- ment provides tangible assistance to industry in navigating the challenges of decarbonisa- tion. The NCPC-SA makes use of its funding from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to assign specialists to collaborate with a production facility's technical and maintenance teams, identifying opportunities to reduce emissions through energy management and waste reduction. “In addition, when we have identified an opportunity that requires investment, we can help develop bankable proposals on how to implement some of the recommendations and how to manage the transition to cleaner production. This approach helps to remove uncertainty and ensures that the interven- tions deliver all the compliance and productiv- ity results identified,” assures Raphulu. The Sustainable Industrial Spaces Conference 2025 Industrial spaces, such as industrial develop- ment zones (IDZs), special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks, offer strategic opportunities for decarbonisation and energy
November-December 2025 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease