Friday, September 20, 2024

Eskom and energy and chemical enterprise, Sasol, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to "collaboratively explore and study prospective future liquified natural gas (LNG) requirements".

That is according to a joint statement by the two providers, following the signing ceremony of the MoU on Friday.

"The collaboration aims to determine the likely volumes that South Africa involves to determine a viable LNG import industry, together with the enabling infrastructure, and may be facilitated by govt-to-govt relations where by necessary."

"This initiative focuses on using gas for power generation to provide critical base load electrical energy and position gas as being a important enabler of re-industrialisation, while also making sure continued supply to the market by unlocking world 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 careers support the gas requirements for Eskom’s planned coal power station repowering and conversion to gas in the long term. The parties read more 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 sasol vacancies 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.