Australia’s push to turn out to be a inexperienced hydrogen superpower has gained new momentum with the federal and Queensland governments teaming up with consortium companions to supply AUD 117 million ($76 million) for a 3 GW renewable hydrogen that undertaking.
From pv journal Australia
The Australian and Queensland governments have joined a consortium of Australian and Japanese vitality firms to make the “largest funding in a renewable hydrogen undertaking of its variety within the nation’s historical past,” committing AUD 117 million to fund additional growth of the Central Queensland Hydrogen ( CQ-H2 ) undertaking in Gladstone, Queensland.
The CQ-H2 undertaking is being developed by Queensland-government owned generator Stanwell with Japanese vitality firms Iwatani, Kansai Electrical Energy Company, Marubeni, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Sydney-based vitality infrastructure enterprise APA Group.
Consortium companions immediately dedicated $81.8 million to fund the Entrance Finish Engineering Design (FEED) for the CQ-H2 undertaking, which is able to finally embrace a 3 GW electrolyser capability able to producing as much as 800 tons of inexperienced hydrogen per day for export to Japan and utilized by native trade.
The Australian Renewable Power Company (ARENA) will present AUD 20 million in funding, whereas the Queensland authorities will present AUD 15 million. The research will even study the event of a hydrogen liquefaction facility primarily based on the port of Gladstone that can produce 400 tonnes per day of liquefied hydrogen for export by the top of 2030.
Federal Power Minister Chris Bowen mentioned the profitable completion of FEED will deliver the undertaking one step nearer to a last funding choice, which is deliberate for late 2024.
“Tasks like this are very important to rising Australia’s inexperienced hydrogen trade,” Bowen mentioned. “The federal government is dedicated to creating Australia a worldwide hydrogen chief and initiatives such because the CQ-H2 undertaking can lead the export of renewable hydrogen to the worldwide market. Japan, Korea and China are three of our largest buying and selling companions and all have made clear commitments to extend the usage of hydrogen, with a concentrate on establishing worldwide provide chains for imports.
It’s anticipated that the CQ-H2 undertaking, which is being developed in Aldoga, about 20 kilometers northwest of Gladstone, will initially embrace the set up of as much as 640 MW of electrolysers to supply 73,000 tons of inexperienced hydrogen per 12 months in 2028. The capability of the electrolyzer will ramp as much as 3 GW, producing as much as 292,000 tons per 12 months in 2031. The hydrogen will then be liquefied or transformed into ammonia for export to Japan and probably domestically trade offtake.
ARENA Chief Government Officer Darren Miller mentioned Australia was well-positioned to benefit from export alternatives in Asia, nonetheless, opening them up would require fast growth of large-scale hydrogen manufacturing and export amenities at a globally price aggressive value level.
“The Stanwell undertaking represents a near-term renewable alternative to supply hydrogen on a globally important scale,” he mentioned. “The event of a renewable hydrogen hub in Gladstone will assist decarbonise heavy industrial amenities within the area and create an export provide chain between Australia and Japan and Singapore.”
Miller mentioned the CQ-H2 undertaking will present “beneficial learnings concerning the present price of manufacturing hydrogen from renewable vitality on a big scale … This understanding is essential to enhancing hydrogen manufacturing.” in Australia and creating a home and export trade for renewable hydrogen in step with Australia’s ambitions.”
Queensland Power Minister Mick de Brenni mentioned the CQ-H2 undertaking would assist set up the state as a worldwide hydrogen heavyweight and open up extra financial alternatives with estimates displaying that the undertaking will create practically 9,000 jobs and greater than AUD 17.2 billion in hydrogen exports over its 30-year life.
“Inexperienced hydrogen is the subsequent useful resource frontier for a world hungry for renewables, and it’s Queensland’s inexperienced hydrogen trade that can guarantee the best local weather, employment, and funding alternatives. -export of a era,” he mentioned. “We’re writing a brand new chapter and carving our personal path to make sure Queensland’s highly effective solar, wind and water can be utilized to assist decarbonise our nation, and the world.”
The funding for FEED comes after an AUD 10.4 million feasibility research confirmed that the proposed CQ-H2 undertaking is technically possible and commercially viable, “with applicable authorities help within the preliminary phases.”
Stanwell has acquired 236 hectares of land in Aldoga for a hydrogen manufacturing base and a ~100 hectares of land can be acquired on the Port of Gladstone to function a hydrogen liquefaction and loading base.
A memorandum of understanding was additionally signed permitting for a direct connection to be established between the hydrogen manufacturing facility and the Spanish renewable vitality firm Acciona Energia’s proposed 600 MWp Aldoga Photo voltaic Farm.
Acciona beforehand mentioned that development of the Aldoga Photo voltaic Farm will start later this 12 months with era output scheduled to start in December 2025.
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