Africa
17 August 2026
Envision and Sasol study green hydrogen at Sasolburg
Written by Natalie Noor-Drugan
Chinese wind and green hydrogen group Envision Energy and South African chemicals major Sasol have agreed to run a joint design study on a potential green hydrogen system at Sasol’s Sasolburg operations. The study will look at how renewable power, battery storage and electrolysers could be integrated to produce green hydrogen, and how that hydrogen could feed into lower-carbon fuels and chemicals, including e-methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF).
E-methanol is methanol made by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide, using renewable electricity rather than natural gas or coal as the feedstock. Envision said the design study is expected to complete later this year and will provide technical and commercial insights to support any future investment decision.
The collaboration was announced during a visit by South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, to Envision’s Chifeng Hydrogen Net Zero Industrial Park in Inner Mongolia, held as part of the South Africa–China Energy Investment Conference. Sasolburg is Sasol’s existing chemicals complex in Free State province.
“The design study with Envision is an important step in assessing how integrated renewables, energy storage and electrolyser technologies could support cost-competitive green hydrogen production at Sasolburg,” said Danie Cronje, Sasol senior vice president for business building. “By drawing on leading global expertise, we can evaluate how these technologies may contribute to future lower-carbon fuel and chemical value chains, while building on Sasol’s existing industrial capabilities.”
The Sasolburg study widens Envision’s green hydrogen portfolio beyond ammonia. Envision’s Chifeng Net Zero Industrial Park in Inner Mongolia is already producing green ammonia at 320,000 tonnes/year, with capacity scaling to 1.5 million tonnes/year by 2028 under a long-term offtake with Marubeni of Japan.
