Mintek Showcases Fuel Cell Innovations to the Africa Sustainability Forum Delegates
Mintek Showcases Fuel Cell Innovations to the Africa Sustainability Forum Delegates
On 26 March, Mintek welcomed delegates from the Africa Sustainability Forum, a G20 side event, for a special tour showcasing Mintek’s advancements in fuel cell technologies. The visit highlighted Mintek's pivotal role in South Africa's hydrogen economy, emphasising the country's potential to leverage these technologies for sustainable growth and energy transition.
The visit to Mintek was organised by the South African Reserve Bank and the Capacity-Building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) with a view of gaining deeper insights into South Africa's advancements in sustainable and green technologies.
Mr Cheng Lin, Director of the Centre for International Collaborations at the Beijing Institute of Finance and Sustainability (BIFS) in China outlined the purpose of the visit, highlighting its importance in providing the CASI network members with opportunities to learn from successful case studies that can inform their own capacity building projects. “The focus is on understanding the environmental benefits of hydrogen facilities compared to other energy sources, particularly their role in reducing carbon emissions and ensuring energy stability in Africa”, he said. Additionally, the visit sought to explore investment opportunities, targeting participants from the investment and banking sectors, while addressing challenges related to commercialising hydrogen technologies.
Dr Olivia Barron, Chief Scientist at Mintek, presented the HYSA programme initiatives undertaken at Mintek, highlighting key advancements in the development of platinum catalysts as well as advancements in fuel cell manufacturing. Dr Barron said these products are currently at an Advanced Technology Readiness Level (TRL 7), indicating readiness for practical application. She stated that Mintek has successfully created high performance platinum-based electrocatalysts that rival those of top global suppliers. “This achievement allows Mintek to manufacture tailored formulations that integrate platinum-group metals (PGMs) with advanced carbon supports, improving both performance and durability in hydrogen fuel cell applications”, she said.
The event emphasised Mintek's critical role in South Africa's hydrogen economy and the country's potential to leverage these technologies for sustainable growth and energy transition.
The Sustainability Forum 2025 is hosted as part of the G20 side event in Johannesburg from 27 – 28 March under the theme “Harnessing Sustainable Finance Potentials in Africa: Opportunities, Challenges, and Actions. The forum will showcase keynote speeches and dynamic panel discussions on key topics such as policy frameworks, sustainability disclosure, energy transition, blended finance for Africa’s green industrialisation, carbon markets, and climate adaptation.