The value of iridium for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis technology is projected to exceed R90-billion in the next decade to two decades, according to a news report citing Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Infrastructure.
Mining Weekly quoted Dmitri Bessarabov, the director of the Department of Science and Innovation's (DSI's) National Centre of Competence: HySA Infrastructure as saying that the PEM electrolysis technology, which is mainly based on iridium, will form part of the technology mix in future.
“It is expected that with the penetration of large-scale PEM water electrolysis technology into the ‘green’ hydrogen generation market, the demand for iridium will only increase,” he said.
Bessarabov said the unlocking of the hydrogen value chain in South Africa would start with the country’s platinum group metals (PGMs) of iridium, platinum, palladium, osmium, rhodium and ruthenium.
Global production of hydrogen currently exceeds 70-million tonnes a year, with 95% of it sourced from fossil fuels.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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