- Kinetic Energy expects the project to produce 50 megawatts (MW) of equivalent energy and eventually expand to 500 MW.
- The project will capitalise on Kinetic Energy’s recent 3.1 bcft natural gas discovery in Mpumalanga.
The recently signed liquefied natural gas (LNG) development project in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province is a promising step on the long road to Africa’s just energy transition. The project, jointly developed by Kinetic Energy of Australia and the Industrial Corporation of South Africa (IDC), a national development finance institution, will capitalise on Kinetic Energy’s recent 3.1 billion cubic feet natural gas discovery in Amersfoort, Mpumalanga.
Kinetic Energy expects the project to produce 50 megawatts (MW) of equivalent energy and eventually expand to 500 MW. The project, which Kinetic Energy describes as South Africa’s largest onshore LNG project, exemplifies natural gas’ potential to grow the country’s economy and meet domestic energy needs. This all comes about as South Africa works to expand its oil and gas operations to curb its reliance on coal and help pave the way to eventual decarbonisation.
As the African Energy Chamber (AEC) covers in its recently released “The State of African Energy 2024 Outlook Report,” natural gas production is rising globally and in Africa. Even more promising, the report notes that upstream operators are now revising their strategies and aligning their future investments more in line with the energy transition, looking at natural gas as a transition fuel. The AEC will support the “Invest in African Energy Conference” in Paris this year, which is organised by Energy Capital and Power. African Energy Week will be the home of natural gas investment in Africa.