Australia’s ambitions to establish itself as a hub for e-fuels production have taken a step forward, with HIF Global confirming that its proposed $2 billion green hydrogen–based methanol facility in Tasmania will now be built on the site of the former Burnie paper mill rather than its previously selected location in Hampshire.
While Hampshire offered proximity to a sustainable forestry plantation, the Burnie site provides direct access to port facilities, a critical factor in enabling both the import of renewable energy inputs and the export of methanol to global markets.
For a project of this size, logistical costs are often decisive, and modular construction at Burnie offers further potential to streamline deployment and lower capital expenditure.
Once a key regional employer, the paper mill closed in 2010, with much of the facility demolished three years later. Repurposing the site aligns with Tasmania’s broader strategy of reindustrialization through clean energy, offering both land availability and a workforce base accustomed to large-scale industrial operations.
Unlike greenfield developments, the redevelopment of brownfield sites can shorten permitting timelines and reduce upfront infrastructure costs—key factors as developers seek to meet ambitious decarbonization timetables.
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