The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) of the Federal Government has given ATCO Australia $800,000 to fund the creation of a renewable hydrogen export value chain from New South Wales (NSW) to Germany.
The German Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon. Chris Bowen MP, today announced ATCO as one of the organizations to receive funding as part of the German-Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator known as HyGATE. In order to improve hydrogen potential, spur innovation, and lower the cost of hydrogen generation through practical initiatives, HyGATE brings together Australian and German businesses.
The ARENA funds will be used by ATCO for the “ScaleH2” feasibility study, which involves a 1GW hydrogen production facility and an 800ktpa ammonia factory in the NSW Illawarra region. A scalable export value chain will be created by exporting the output from both sites to Germany.
The announcement, according to Karen Nielsen, Managing Director, Global Renewables at ATCO, was an important step for ATCO as a pioneer in the development of hydrogen.
“ATCO has its sights set on exports to international markets, and the ScaleH2 project will enhance our objectives to develop our capabilities as a leader in hydrogen in Australia and around the world,” the company said.
In collaboration with our partners, the ScaleH2 initiative “will accelerate industry awareness of hydrogen’s economic potential toward a sustainable energy future.”
Along with a group of partners that consists of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Fraunhofer IST, Fraunhofer IEG, TU Braunschweig, Uniper, Eisenhuth GmbH & Co. KG, Open Hybrid LabFactory e.V., and Salzgitter AG, ATCO Australia will research the viability of the Illawarra hydrogen and ammonia facilities.
