Friday, September 20, 2024
Eskom and energy and chemical business, Sasol, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to "collaboratively discover and study potential potential liquified natural gas (LNG) requirements".
This is based on a joint statement by the two companies, following the signing ceremony from the MoU on Friday.
"The collaboration aims to find out the likely volumes that South Africa involves to ascertain a viable LNG import sector, combined with the enabling infrastructure, and will be facilitated by federal government-to-authorities relations where by important."
"This initiative focuses on using gasoline for energy generation to deliver crucial base load electrical energy and position gas as a essential enabler of re-industrialisation, while also guaranteeing continued supply to the marketplace by unlocking global LNG resources.
"Furthermore, the collaboration will contribute to enhancing South Africa’s energy mix and enable the country's energy transition and decarbonisation," the joint statement read.
The MoU is expected to "explore sourcing gas within South Africa, the Southern African Development Community region, and other parts of the African continent, in addition to evaluating long-term LNG contracting".
"This will eskom learnerships support the gas requirements for Eskom’s planned coal power station eskom repowering and conversion to gas in the long term. The parties will also engage other state entities to enable an LNG value chain in South Africa.
"As part of its revised gas strategy, Sasol is working on enabling the future supply of LNG to South Africa by collaborating with companies such as Eskom, existing and future customers, suppliers, and infrastructure developers.
"The research findings from the first phase of the Sasol-Eskom collaboration will guide the necessary role players and investors required to offer the best prospects for South Africa's energy market, while outlining the challenges associated with the long-term commitments required for LNG imports," the statement said.