By Yershen Pillay
Green hydrogen is no longer just a buzzword. It’s a real and urgent economic opportunity for South Africa — one that could drive reindustrialisation, generate new jobs, and help meet our climate obligations.
But there’s a catch: we don’t yet have the skills base to support it. Without addressing this invisible crisis, South Africa risks missing the green hydrogen moment altogether.
Our natural endowments — abundant sun, wind, land and mineral resources — position South Africa to be a global leader in green hydrogen production. Estimates suggest we could produce up to 13 million metric tons of green hydrogen by 2050, accounting for roughly 10% of our national energy mix.
While green hydrogen won’t replace all energy sources, even a proportional shift could bring massive benefits in jobs, export and decarbonisation.
Importantly, hydrogen is not new to South Africa. It has been used since the 1920s, primarily in fertilizer and explosives manufacturing. For decades, companies like Sasol have produced grey and brown hydrogen. But green hydrogen — clean, renewable and carbon-free — is now taking centre stage as a climate-resilient fuel of the future.
This resurgence of interest follows South Africa’s commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement and growing global momentum around net-zero transitions. Yet despite the hype, implementation has been sluggish. Why?
Because five persistent barriers stand in the way.
Skills Deficit: The green hydrogen economy demands new occupations — electrolyser technicians, green hydrogen production practitioners, green hydrogen logistics specialists, fuel cell engineers — that currently don’t exist in sufficient numbers within our training systems.
High Operational Costs: Green hydrogen remains expensive to produce, store and transport compared to fossil fuels.
Infrastructure Gaps: Massive capital investment is required to build pipelines, refuelling stations and electrolysis plants.
Water Scarcity: Electrolysis requires water, and South Africa is a water scarce country. While solutions such as direct air electrolysis (DAE) and treated wastewater exist, they require innovation readiness and scale.
Project Delays: Many hydrogen projects are stuck at feasibility stages. Fewer than 1% of hydrogen infrastructure projects in Africa have reached final investment decision (FID).
Of these, the skills gap is the most foundational and the most often overlooked. Without the right human capital, no technology or capital injection will succeed.
This is why CHIETA (the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority) is actively prioritising green hydrogen. We are working to define new occupational profiles, develop curricula, establish Centres of Specialisation and integrate hydrogen-related learning into TVET and higher education institutions.
We have made considerable progress in leading the green hydrogen revolution. CHIETA has registered three new skills programmes with the Quality Council on Trades and Occupations (QCTO) – the green hydrogen production practitioner, green hydrogen technology practitioner, and the green hydrogen storage and fuel transporter. These skills programmes will provide the much-needed support in closing the green hydrogen skills gap.
In addition, CHIETA will be pioneering a state-of-the-art Green Hydrogen Skills Academy. This will serve as a hub for producing excellence in green hydrogen skills.
Our goal is clear: we must ensure that the emerging green hydrogen economy is South African-led, South African-owned and South African-skilled. We cannot afford to import technologies while exporting opportunity.
This is not about hype — it’s about green justice. Green hydrogen presents a rare chance to unlock transformative local benefits.
They include jobs for youth in technical, engineering and artisanal roles, and enterprise development through SMME involvement in fuel cell manufacturing, electrolyser production and green ammonia.
Other benefits are inclusive industrialisation in underdeveloped districts and municipalities, and climate leadership aligned to our Just Energy Transition.
Let’s be clear: green hydrogen alone will not solve South Africa’s unemployment or energy poverty. It is not a silver bullet. But it is a catalytic lever if we have the foresight to align policy, investment and education.
The window of opportunity is narrow. If we fail to build the skills pipeline now, South Africa’s green hydrogen future will be built elsewhere.
We must act boldly, urgently, and inclusively. Because without skills, there is no future.
Yershen Pillay is the CEO of the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority.
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