This case study focuses specifically on the emerging export opportunities for South Africa in the development of green hydrogen. This refers to hydrogen that is produced through the process of electrolysis that is combined with a renewable energy source of power. While green hydrogen development has gone through a number of historical waves of interest, the current momentum is being driven globally, with a number of countries developing hydrogen roadmaps and strategies to capitalise domestically and in the global marketplace.

It is part of a research project for the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition examines the vulnerability of South African trade to evolving climate change legislation. It aims to shed light on the trade-related risks faced by South Africa as a result of the global transition to a low-carbon economy. From a trade and industrial perspective, this transition has implications on the composition and dynamics of entire value chains. This concerns what inputs are accessed, the processes that underlie production, what goods and services are produced, as well as what happens to these products post-consumption. The research is available in a number of related documents.  A main report on The global climate change regime and its impacts on South Africa's trade and competitiveness: case studies on various sectors; detailed briefs that explore South Africa’s trade risks with different countries; and key data in Excel format. 

These reports are available here: Climate change and trade risk.

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