ITOCHU Corporation and Hive Hydrogen have agreed to work together on matters of viable green hydrogen and ammonia project development, production, operation, marketing, off-take and distribution. 

A historic Memorandum of Cooperation between Japan and South Africa has been signed, recognising that South Africa has the capacity and ability to be an internationally competitive producer of hydrogen and green ammonia. Thulani Gcabashe (the chairman of Hive Hydrogen SA) and Shinya Ishizuka (the CEO of ITOCHU Africa Bloc) sign the Memorandum of Cooperation witnessed by the Ambassador of Japan, Ushio Shigeru and Baphelele Mhlaba, the Chief of Staff at Office of the Premier in the Eastern Cape.

Hive Hydrogen SA [Hive] and ITOCHU Corporation [ITOCHU] celebrated the signing of their Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) on Friday 8 December in Gqeberha, (formerly Port Elizabeth) Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, to advance Hive’s Coega Green Ammonia Export Project [Project]. 

The purpose of this MoC is to clearly identify the important areas for Hive and ITOCHU to engage in that will enable them to achieve their respective green hydrogen and ammonia business objectives in a strategic, structured, assured, and cost-effective manner.

This MoC provides a framework to develop a least-cost green ammonia solution that includes inter alia ITOCHU’s potential involvement as a strategic equity investor and off-taker concerning the Project. 

Both Parties recognise that the development of the Project requires further technical, regulatory, and market development, including the engagement of key supply chain members and governments. 

ITOCHU and Hive also agreed to work together to understand the timing, scale, and market demand for green ammonia, and how to best phase the plant development and construction to enhance project viability.

Hive Chairman, Thulani Gcabashe, remarked: “This is a historic milestone for the project following an exciting period of engagement with ITOCHU in Japan and their very dynamic office in South Africa. The huge positive impact that this project will have on Nelson Mandela Bay, the Eastern Cape, and indeed South Africa is welcomed by us all and we look forward to working together towards a meaningful offtake agreement and investment in the project by ITOCHU.” 

Shinya Ishizuka, CEO of ITOCHU Africa Bloc, commented: “This MoC represents another big step forward for ITOCHU in its growing leadership role in building a sustainable, clean fuel supply chain of green ammonia to the Far East and globally. With this collaborative development of green ammonia, ITOCHU aims to create a wide range of ammonia value chains in various existing industrial applications and will support our clients and industries in achieving low carbonisation goals.” 

Coega is Hive’s flagship green hydrogen and ammonia project. Initially, the renewable energy capacity for the development is around 3,6 GW of solar PV and onshore wind generation, with further sites identified totaling more than 12 GW for additional phases of the project. Once operational, which is planned for 2028, this site is expected to export green ammonia, green hydrogen, and potentially ammonium nitrate from Coega.