The government of the Australia’s Northern Territory has bestowed major project status upon the Darwin H2 Hub. Developed by TE H2, an 80%-owned subsidiary of French oil major TotalEnergies, this 1GW green hydrogen project has emerged as a beacon of sustainable energy innovation.
The major project status aims to expedite the approval process for the Darwin H2 Hub, acknowledging its pivotal role in the economic development of the Northern Territory. As part of this designation, the regional government is committed to identifying and streamlining relevant approvals, appointing a dedicated case manager, and facilitating access to investment attraction opportunities. These opportunities include overseas trade missions, providing developers with avenues to access markets and potential sources of finance.
Last year, the Northern Territory issued TE H2 a 12-month “not to deal” commitment, reserving land on their preferred site at the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct. Similar commitments have been extended to other projects, including Fortescue’s green hydrogen and ammonia initiative and Tamboran Resources’ gas liquefaction and export facility, albeit with some controversy surrounding the latter’s sustainability focus.
While specific hydrogen production targets have not been outlined by the territory, its master plan unveiled in October 2021 envisions exporting green hydrogen to key trading partners in Asia, including Japan, South Korea, China, and Germany.
TE H2, a partnership between TotalEnergies and Luxembourg-based EREN Group, aims to deploy 2GW of solar PV modules to power 1GW of electrolysis capacity for the Darwin H2 Hub. The ultimate goal is to produce 80,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually, marking a significant stride towards the Northern Territory’s sustainable energy objectives.
Kam Ho, the joint venture’s managing director for Australia, emphasized that the Darwin H2 Hub aspires to be the region’s first solar-powered green hydrogen production and export project. The achievement of “Major Project Status” marks a pivotal milestone, with the current objective set on pursuing studies for a Final Investment Decision (FID) by 2027.
