Friday, September 20, 2024

Eskom and energy and chemical business, Sasol, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to "collaboratively investigate and investigate possible long term liquified natural gas (LNG) requirements".

This can be according to a joint statement by the two organizations, following the signing ceremony from the MoU on Friday.

"The collaboration aims to find out the possible volumes that South Africa needs to establish a practical LNG import market place, combined with the enabling infrastructure, and will be facilitated by authorities-to-government relations wherever needed."

"This initiative focuses on working with gasoline for power generation to offer important base load electricity and position gas for a important enabler of re-industrialisation, though also making certain ongoing supply to the market by unlocking world wide 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 read more evaluating long-term LNG contracting".

"This will sasol bursaries support the gas requirements for Eskom’s planned coal power station repowering and sasol vacancies 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.