According to proposals produced by Infinite Blue Energy, the Western Australian town of Northam could soon be home to Australia’s first large-scale green hydrogen factory.
The company has acquired the existing 11 megawatt Northam Solar Farm from its current owners Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) and Bookitja Pty Ltd as trustee of the Ngangk Trust, with the intention of using it to power a 10 megawatt hydrogen electrolyser and battery storage system capable of producing up to 4 tons of green hydrogen per day.
This project, dubbed MEG HP1, will contain a truck-offload terminal that will enable the provision of local back-to-base operations, with the possibility of future extension to create a Zero Emissions Highway.
Green hydrogen produced at the plant will be partially consumed by waste management companies in Western Australia for use in back-to-base refuse collection vehicles and fleet vehicles operating in the vicinity of the MEG H1, with memorandums of understanding in place and binding contracts being negotiated.
Chairman Peter Coleman stated that MEG HP1 will be a game changer for Infinite Blue Energy and pave the way for the company’s Arrowsmith project, which is targeting daily production of approximately 25 tons for the mobility sector, with the potential to grow to 125 tons as the market develops and export opportunities are pursued.
“This transaction with the owners of the Northam Solar Farm underlines our commitment to producing hydrogen only from renewable sources,” chief executive officer Stephen Gauld added.
“Leveraging existing renewable infrastructure will enable us to deliver the project more quickly and deliver more value for IBE shareholders.”
The project is now undergoing front-end engineering and design (FEED), with a final investment decision expected later this year and the start of hydrogen production anticipated by the end of 2023.
It will establish the state as a pioneer in the use of renewable hydrogen in transportation, one of the four priority sectors identified in the state’s Renewable Hydrogen Strategy.
Minister for the Hydrogen Industry in Western Australia, Alannah MacTiernan, said the proposed plant was another great step for renewable hydrogen in the state and will play a critical role in driving early demand for the green gas.
