Enertrag has appointed EPCM to conduct the technical- and site assessments for developing electrolysis facilities (30 000 tpa in total) to generate green hydrogen next to Sasol’s existing refineries in Secunda and Sasolburg. Both plants are currently using fossil fuels (coal) to produce the hydrogen (grey or blue hydrogen) used in the reactions to form liquid products like kerosene.

For the Secunda plant, the end goal is to replace the grey or blue hydrogen, fed into the Fischer Tropsch process, with green hydrogen. The green hydrogen is to be produced both from water electrolysis using wind and solar PV renewable energy, and eventually also from biomass gasification. Similarly, at the Sasolburg plant, green hydrogen (produced by water electrolysis using wind and solar PV renewable energy) is envisaged to replace the grey or blue hydrogen in the Haber Bosch process.

A two-step process has been proposed by Enertrag to move the Sasol processes over to green hydrogen. The following technical data sets the basis for the green hydrogen production facilities:

Secunda plant

  • Hydrogen feed pressure into Sasol process: 35 bar
  • 15 000 t/a of hydrogen production capacity is required
  • Electrolyser energy usage: 150 – 200 MW

Sasolburg plant

  • Hydrogen feed pressure into Sasol process: 35 bar
  • 7 500 t/a of hydrogen production capacity is required
  • Electrolyser energy usage: 100 MW

Services provided:

  • Preliminary technical assessment – data verification
  • Site assessment
  • Hydrogen production facility design