Hive Hydrogen South Africa is developing one of the world’s largest green hydrogen projects – Coega Green Ammonia – located in Coega, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, that will produce over 1 million tpy of ammonia using renewable solar and wind energy, desalinated water from the Indian Ocean, and nitrogen extracted from the air.
The project has reached another major milestone with the completion of its 1430 MW Solar PV Cluster Development phase, which will supply 40% of the plant’s power requirements. Developed in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa – one of the highest average annual solar irradiation areas globally – this will be the largest Solar PV project in the country and in the Southern Hemisphere.
Giles Redpath, CEO of Hive Energy, headquartered in the UK, said: “We are particularly pleased to have reached this important milestone in the week of the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit (12 - 13 June 2025) in Cape Town which marks another step forward for the continent in showcasing it’s potential to lead the global green hydrogen revolution. This is the largest Solar PV project the Hive Energy Group has in its portfolio across 22 countries and it is a true testament to the South African government’s commitment and leadership position on renewable energy and its application in producing sustainable, clean fuels.”
Thulani Gcabashe, Chairman of Hive Hydrogen South Africa, commented: “Our solar development phase has been strongly supported by the South African government through the Strategic Integrated Projects Team who have assisted us throughout the extensive consent and permitting processes necessary and are very thankful for their diligence, dedication, and backing.
With the conclusion now of this phase, our R105bn Coega Green Ammonia Project development remains firmly on track to achieve commercial operation in 4Q29. Additionally, we are pleased that our project’s planned grid strengthening program will unlock as much as 20 000 MW of additional grid capacity for Independent Power Producers in South Africa to connect their large projects to the grid.”
Mayor Andrew Samson of Renosterberg Local Municipality, added: “We are proud to have the largest Solar PV project in the country within the Renosterberg Local Municipality in the Northern Cape and are delighted with the community engagement and professionalism of the Crossroads Green Energy Project Development Team and Hive Hydrogen. We are looking forward to constructing the project together and seeing the benefits it will bring to our people and the country.”
A consortium comprising of the French renewable energy developer and IPP company, Akuo Energy, Africoast Investments South Africa and Golden Sunshine Trading South Africa have co-developed the nine Crossroads Green Energy solar PV sites close to the towns of Philipstown, Petrusville, and Vanderkloof together with Hive Hydrogen.
Following the successful Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Records of Decision in May 2024 for 1230 MW of Solar PV, which have had no objections or land claims, the Crossroads Green Energy cluster was expanded by an additional 200 MW. This supplementary EIA Record of Decision has been confirmed and most crucially the required permits, authorisations, clearances, and consents for the Cross Roads Green Energy project sites have now all been received.