Imperial, Sasol to improve freight sustainability and efficiency in southern Africa

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South Africa’s transition to a low carbon future requires bold innovation and investment in transformative technologies. A green hydrogen sector holds promise for growth and development in the country’s primarily coal-based economy and will contribute to South Africa’s international climate change commitments.

Reducing carbon footprint

Sasol’s aspiration is to play a leading role in the co-creation and development of hydrogen ecosystems, which aims to decarbonise hard to abate sectors such as transportation, using green hydrogen produced at its operations facilities leveraging existing process equipment and proprietary technology. Decarbonising heavy-duty long-haul trucking using fuel cell electric (FCE) trucks is an area of interest to both Sasol and Imperial.

Imperial, as one of Southern Africa’s major fleet operators aspiring to do zero harm to people and the environment, plans to reduce its carbon footprint by exploring a range of alternative truck technologies.

For heavy commercial vehicles travelling long distances, FCE trucks hold promise as a viable zero-carbon solution. Sasol’s expertise in hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure combined with Imperial’s expertise in fleet management, its extensive transport footprint and superior end-to-end supply chain solution capabilities, are expected to deliver good synergies from the collaboration.

Greener supply chains

"One of Imperial’s strategic pillars is integrating environmental, social and governance practices into our business activities," says Mohammed Akoojee, Imperial’s Group CEO.

"This strategic partnership with Sasol, a long-standing and valued Imperial client, helps cement our commitment to a just transition to a low carbon economy and is another step towards positioning Imperial at the forefront of alternative energy fleets. We also welcome the opportunity to work together with Sasol to develop viable and sustainable greener supply chain solutions that will not only benefit our clients and principals but the broader logistics and supply chain industry."

In welcoming the partnership Priscillah Mabelane, executive vice president of Sasol’s energy business, said that "green hydrogen can help tackle various critical energy challenges and is positioned for rapid global growth as the pathway of choice to decarbonise, amongst others, the long haul transport sector. This partnership is yet another milestone in Sasol’s aspiration to play a leading role in the development of the green hydrogen economy of South Africa".