by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE Chemical Industry Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) is leading discussions around the skills required to drive South Africa’s transition to a green economy through hydrogen.
Hydrogen is tipped to be a game changer for the country’s economy, in addition to cutting carbon emissions.
Yershen Pillay, CHIETA Chief Executive Officer, believes investing in the hydrogen research and successful workforce planning for a hydrogen-ready South Africa is imperative.
“We are keen to get industry perspectives on hydrogen manufacturing to understand the skills development perspectives from the supply and demand sectors to gainbetter insights,” Pillay said.
The organisation is hosting the Pan – African Hydrogen Skills Conference in Cape Town.
The event is done in cooperation with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).
Speakers from Ghana and Namibia will join their South African counterparts as well as academia and industry leaders in the hydrogen economy.
“As an authority in skills development within the chemical industry, CHIETA has repositioned itself to innovate for impact, a vision that CHIETA endeavours to work towards, and we want to continue to provide leadership on skills development for the hydrogen economy to the sector and nationally in this regard,” Pillay said.
To this end, CHIETA has partnered with Impact Hydrogen, South African National Energy Institute, Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies at Stellenbosch University and recently, the National Business Institute to unpack the opportunities of the hydrogen economy.
CHIETA is set to participate at the World Science Forum also in Cape Town this week.
CHIETA’s segment focuses on “Industry Perspectives, Experiences and Skills required for the Hydrogen Economy.”
South Africa’s cabinet last week approved the publication of the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy (GHCS) for public comment.
Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said the strategy will ensure South Africa becomes a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen.
“It (hydrogen) contributes towards economic growth and supports the country’s just transition interventions towards the reduction of carbon emissions,” Gungubele said at a post-Cabinet media briefing.
– CAJ News