Hive Energy is a UK-headquartered renewable energy developer founded in 2010 by Giles Redpath, which has grown from UK solar PV development into a global renewables and green hydrogen platform operating in over 20 countries. The company has deployed more than £1.6 billion in green energy projects to date and is currently developing over 27,000MW of renewable capacity worldwide, alongside eight green hydrogen/ammonia projects globally with a combined future output capacity of roughly 8.5 million tonnes per year. In South Africa, Hive Energy holds a 75 percent stake in Hive Hydrogen South Africa, the developer behind the roughly $5.8 billion Coega green ammonia project in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape — the most advanced large-scale green hydrogen project on the African continent. BuiltAfrica, founded by former Eskom CEO Thulani Gcabashe, holds the remaining 25 percent stake and co-develops the project, with Gcabashe chairing Hive Hydrogen South Africa.
Company Profile
Key Developments
Selected Denmark's Topsoe for a ~$1bn electrolyser and ammonia loop technology package for the Coega green ammonia project (May 2026); targeting FEED in Q3 2026 and FID by Q3 2027.
Key Risks
No African green hydrogen project has yet reached FID at gigawatt scale, and Hive's Coega project — while the most advanced on the continent — still depends on finalising offtake agreements and construction-phase financing before FID; broader sector faces structurally high cost of capital in South Africa.
What Happens Next
FEED commencement (Q3 2026); offtake agreement announcements; progress toward FID (targeted Q3 2027).
Commercial Opportunity
Relevant for EPC/civil works contractors, renewables developers, port infrastructure firms and equipment suppliers as the Coega project moves toward FEED and FID.