OPPORTUNITY: GIZ Calls for proposals to develop Green Hydrogen Circular Economy Handbook

By SA Trade Desk

As South Africa accelerates its Just Energy Transition, green hydrogen and its derivatives have emerged as key pillars for sustainable industrial growth, export diversification, and decarbonisation. To ensure this expanding sector develops sustainably, a major international procurement opportunity has opened for technical consultants and energy specialists.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH—under its project “Promoting value chains for critical raw materials and green hydrogen and derivatives in South Africa (H2.SA II / BVC)”—has issued a official Request for Proposals (Call for Proposals: 7000020970).

The agency is seeking professional service providers to design and deliver a comprehensive “Handbook on Circular Economy in Green Hydrogen Value Chains.”

Scope of Work

The appointed service provider will be tasked with building a practical, technical, and strategic framework (expected to span 80–150 pages) that equips South African government institutions, industry players, project developers, and academic researchers with actionable guidance on circularity.

Key elements of the handbook will include:

• Technical & Environmental Integration: Incorporating circular economy principles across zero-carbon electricity supply, electrolysis, water use, and Power-to-X (PtX) derivatives.
• By-Product Valorisation & Waste Management: Establishing strategies for resource efficiency, by-product commercialisation, and end-of-life management for hydrogen infrastructure.
• Socio-Economic & Regulatory Analysis: Outlining economic, monetary, policy, and social considerations alongside real-world case studies and practical frameworks.

Why This Assignment Matters

While green hydrogen offers significant promise to decarbonise heavy industry and replace fossil fuels, scaling up infrastructure requires massive material and water inputs.

Integrating circular economy principles ensures that South Africa’s hydrogen economy remains resource-efficient, minimizes waste, and maximizes local industrial value creation. This assignment directly supports capacity building, knowledge creation, and policy alignment across the local energy ecosystem.

Who Should Apply?

GIZ is inviting proposals from professional service providers, consultancies, and consortiums with proven multi-disciplinary expertise in:

• Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency
• Green Hydrogen & Power-to-X (PtX) Technologies
• Energy Transition Policy & Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Submission Details & Key Deadlines

All proposals must be submitted electronically via the GIZ e-tendering portal or official procurement channels.

• Tender Reference: Call for Proposals 7000020970
• Submission Email: za_quotation@giz.de
• Submission Deadline: 2 September 2026 at 23:59 CET
• Tender Documents: Access Official GIZ Tender Portal

For South African and international energy consultancies looking to shape the operational standards of the continent’s growing green economy, this tender presents a strategic commercial opportunity.