Energy Transition: Turning South Africa’s Green Ambition into Economic Opportunity
South Africa’s energy transition is no longer only an environmental priority. It is increasingly becoming an industrial and economic opportunity, with potential to attract investment, create new industries and reshape the country’s position in global supply chains.
South Africa is expanding renewable energy, battery storage and transmission infrastructure while developing opportunities in green hydrogen and electric mobility. At the 2026 South Africa Investment Conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa described decarbonisation as a pillar of the country’s investment strategy, with opportunities emerging in these sectors as well as the manufacturing and production of electrical vehicle components and infrastructure.
France has a role to play in this transition. The two countries are already connected through the Just Energy Transition Partnership, which includes France alongside the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. French companies and institutions are also active in South Africa’s renewable energy sector.
The opportunity extends beyond generating cleaner electricity. South Africa’s reserves of platinum group metals, manganese, vanadium and other critical minerals create potential for local beneficiation and the development of new value chains linked to batteries, hydrogen and electric vehicles.
For businesses, the key question is how the transition can deliver both environmental and economic value. Investment in energy infrastructure can support industrial competitiveness, while partnerships can bring technology, expertise and skills into emerging sectors.
The 5th France–South Africa Business Forum provides an opportunity to explore how these ambitions can translate into commercially viable projects and partnerships, and how the energy transition can contribute to a more competitive and inclusive economy. Forum registrations for companies in South Africa close on 25 September.
Continue the conversation at the Team France Gala Dinner on 30 September - the grande finale to the Business Forum! Buy your tickets here.
Title image generated by FSACCI using AI with OpenAI.
