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| Coega project |
South Africa’s Hive Hydrogen moves forward on $5.6B ammonia export hub
Largest solar PV project in Southern Hemisphere to power green fuel ambitions
South Africa’s flagship Coega Green Ammonia project has reached a major milestone with the full permitting of a 1,430 MW solar PV cluster, set to supply 40% of the power needed for the green hydrogen-linked facility in Nelson Mandela Bay. The development is led by Hive Hydrogen South Africa, a partnership between the UK’s Hive Energy and BuiltAfrica.
Located near Philipstown, Petrusville, and Vanderkloof in the Northern Cape, the nine-site Crossroads Green Energy solar cluster will become the largest in South Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. It benefits from some of the world’s highest solar irradiation and will power the production of over 1 million tonnes of green ammonia annually for export through the Port of Ngqura.
The $5.6 billion (R105 billion) Coega facility will combine renewable power with desalinated Indian Ocean water and air-derived nitrogen. A Haber-Bosch ammonia loop, 1,120 MW of electrolysers, and a 7 km cryogenic pipeline will support production and export of green ammonia to Europe and the Far East.
Hive Hydrogen Chair Thulani Gcabashe, former Eskom CEO, confirmed the project remains on track for commercial operations in Q4 2029. He praised government support via the Strategic Integrated Projects team and emphasized the grid upgrade will enable 20,000 MW of new IPP connections nationwide.
Hive Energy CEO Giles Redpath called the solar permitting a “testament” to South Africa’s leadership in clean fuels. The solar cluster’s co-developers—Akuo Energy, AfriCoast Investments, and Golden Sunshine Trading—highlighted their low-impact design, which uses under 10% of farmland and restores land post-decommissioning.
Local officials, including Mayor Andrew Samson, lauded the economic and employment potential of the project, which will drive both renewable energy investment and sustainable agriculture.
ScrapInsight Commentary:
The Coega Green Ammonia project sets a new precedent for coupling large-scale renewable infrastructure with value-added chemical exports. Its demand for electrolyser metals like platinum and iridium signals significant upside for South Africa’s PGM sector, potentially reshaping scrap flows and recycling markets for catalysts and membranes in the hydrogen economy.
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