SA urged to speed up hydrogen and fuel cell technology research
Although South Africa has come a long way in terms of developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, the country had to speed up its research and manufacturers had to buy into the development of these technologies at an early stage, Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Systems Centre for Systems Integration and Validation head Dr Oystein Ulleberg suggested.
He noted that by speeding up research, the country, which had vast national resources, could become a global player and major exporter of this technology.
A seminar to be hosted by HySA Systems in Cape Town on November 2 and November 3, would deal with topics surrounding the manufacturing of materials and components for hydrogen fuel cell technology (HFCT) and applications of HFCT into near-term niche markets, with a focus on uninterruptible power systems and utility vehicles.
“The seminar will provide an opportunity for interested parties, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to attend and participate,” said Ulleberg.
Four international and four local speakers, including Dr Margaret Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, from Germany, Mikael Sloth, from Denmark, and Dr Sakib Khan, from South Africa, would make presentations at the seminar.
HySA Systems is part of a 15-year research, development and innovation programme, sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology. Its purpose is to perform technology validation and system integration in three key areas relevant to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
