Page 79 - Research & Innovation Report 2020

ENGINEERING, THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

Huge opportunity for

lithium-ion battery
manufacturing in SA

Foli authored an occasional paper commissioned
and published in December 2020 by the South
African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
– an independent, non-government think tank.
SAIIA’s occasional papers present topical, incisive
analyses on key policy issues in Africa and beyond.
The title of the paper is: SADC e-Mobility Outlook:
Accelerating the Battery Manufacturing Value
Chain. “This is key to my research as it looks at
how the SADC region with all its raw materials
can fast-track industrialisation and seize the
Edem Foli huge global opportunity in the lithium-ion (Li-
ion) battery manufacturing chain for renewable
“As part of the second phase we are hosting online international energy and electric vehicles (EVs). South Africa
webinars with Cenex, and specific gender equality and social has the world’s highest reserves of manganese, an
inclusion webinars to inform women about electric transportation important component in Li-ion batteries.”
and to get far more women involved,” says Foli. “We are engaging Recommendations to develop Li-ion battery
women’s organisations, such as the Businesswomen’s Association manufacturing in SADC include: member states
of South Africa.”
aligning their policies to the SADC Industrialisation
Strategy Roadmap and SADC Vision 2050 to fast-
Foli explains that there is a tendency to exclude people from track the adoption of EVs in the region; forming
marginalised and vulnerable communities, particularly women, a regional battery alliance; instituting capacity
whose representation in leadership positions in sustainable development interventions in the private and
transport is low, and whose voices and needs are therefore often public sectors and establishing a regional body
not heard. “One example is in micro-mobility where the electric for the testing and accreditation of Li-ion cells and
bicycles, scooters and three-wheelers need to be designed to carry batteries.
at least one passenger – usually a baby or child – as women are
still predominantly the caretaker at home. The vehicles also need Future employment opportunities within EV
to have a compartment for groceries and personal belongings. battery manufacturing are predicted to surge, and
battery energy storage has been identified as an
untapped opportunity for the SADC owing to the
increasing global demand for EVs.

The uYilo e-Mobility
Programme

In addition, we need to consider the safety issue of micro-mobility
The national uYilo e-Mobility Programme was in South Africa. The advantage is that it provides a far more
established in 2013 as a multi-stakeholder affordable electric mode of transport than passenger vehicles,
collaborative programme focused on enabling, which the majority of the population cannot afford.”
facilitating and mobilising e-mobility in South Africa.
uYilo is an initiative of the Technology Innovation In phase three, uYilo will hold workshops with the various
Agency, a public entity of the Department of government departments and entities to develop reference
Science and Innovation. The programme is hosted documents for charging infrastructure and green procurement,
within eNtsa, an engagement entity at Nelson such as the procurement of electric vehicle fleets. “A draft Auto
Mandela University.
Green Paper published in 2021 by the Department of Trade,
Industry and Competition has been issued for public comment,”
says Foli. “The Auto Green Paper promises to be a game changer
for the automotive industry, including a lower- and zero-rated duty
for identified, unique electric vehicle components.”

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