Feasibility study on South Australian hydrogen export to Rotterdam

The South Australian Government and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to study the feasibility of exporting green hydrogen made in South Australia to Rotterdam.

The partnership of South Australia and the Port of Rotterdam will build upon a $1.25 million hydrogen export modelling tool and prospectus, released in October 2020, looking at establishing green hydrogen supply chains from South Australia.

South Australia is the first sub-national jurisdiction to enter into such an agreement with the Port of Rotterdam. The Port is doing similar feasibility studies regarding the production and shipping of hydrogen with a number of countries including Iceland, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Chile and countries in the Middle East.

“The South Australian Government welcomes this MoU with the Port of Rotterdam. We’re impressed by the ambition of the Port of Rotterdam, which mirrors that of the South Australian Government. We have released a Hydrogen Action Plan in 2019 with the vision of becoming a world class renewable hydrogen supplier,’ said Stephen Patterson, SA Minister for Trade and Investment.

“The South Australian Government’s ambition is to become a national and international exporter of clean power, through new power interconnectors and carriers such as hydrogen. These could lead to South Australia producing around 500% of its current grid demand in renewable energy by 2050,’ said Dan Van Holst Pellekaan, SA Minister for Energy and Mining.

“Europe will remain a net importer of energy. However it will gradually shift from grey to green. The Port of Rotterdam wants to facilitate this shift by stimulating the development of new supply chains of hydrogen. This is important both to stop climate change as well as for the long term sustainability of businesses and the economy,”

Allard Castelein, CEO Port of Rotterdam.

South Australia has committed around $15 million to support green hydrogen production projects being led by AGIG at Tonsley, H2U at Cultana and Neoen in the state’s mid-North.