Hunter’s green hydrogen network welcomes Eurus Energy
Eurus Energy, a worldwide renewable energy developer located in Japan, has backed plans to establish a large-scale renewable hydrogen production, transportation, and export center in the Hunter area of New South Wales.
Energy Estate, which is leading the proposed $2 billion Hunter Hydrogen Network (H2N), announced on Wednesday that Eurus has committed to invest in the project, pending clearance by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
The H2N project was announced in May of last year as a large-scale “green” hydrogen production and pipeline project that will provide low-cost hydrogen for local use and export, as well as the creation of additional derivatives such as green ammonia.
The proposed dedicated hydrogen pipeline is described by Energy Estate as a “backbone infrastructure” that will allow the Hunter Valley to become Australia’s first “hydrogen valley” and a worldwide superpower in the hydrogen economy.
AGL Energy, APA Group, and ITM Power are already partners on the project, with the latter being the US developer of a one-gigawatt-per-year electrolyzer production facility in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, that might be reproduced in NSW.
Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Tokyo Electric Power Company, two of Japan’s largest worldwide enterprises, jointly control Eurus Energy Group, an independent renewable energy power producer and development.
Eurus holds 120MW of wind energy assets in Australia, notably a share in the Kennedy Energy Park in north Queensland, which it created alongside Windlab as one of the world’s first hybrid wind, solar, and battery projects.
Across 14 countries, including Japan, Korea, the United States, Chile, and Europe, the corporation is actively pursuing more than 4GW of renewable energy generation projects.
Eurus and Energy Estate will create the H2N Development Joint Venture to continue building the Hunter Hydrogen Network when the acquisition is completed, subject to clearances.
On Wednesday, Energy Estate’s Simon Currie stated, “Our objective is to create the skills, technology, and know-how in Australia and New Zealand to provide to the rest of the globe – providing long-term industrial export potential beyond the generation of hydrogen.”
“Exploring chances to create a green hydrogen and e-fuels business to decarbonize local demand and export green fuels to the globe is a good illustration of our strategy,” he added.
As the state’s shift away from fossil fuels grows more essential, the NSW Hunter area, which remains a coal mining and generating hub for the state, is becoming increasingly congested with big renewable energy, energy storage, and green hydrogen initiatives.
Maoneng, an Australian renewables developer, presented fresh plans for a giant 400MW four-hour battery that it aims to build alongside a 550MW solar farm in the Upper Hunter region, north-west of Newcastle, earlier this week.
And Origin Energy has teamed up with Orica, an Australian multinational, in a newly announced proposal to investigate the sustainability of their own “Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub,” which would use a grid-connected 55MW electrolyzer to manufacture green hydrogen using recycled water sources and renewable power.
Plans for a massive green hydrogen project in WA
The Murchison Hydrogen Renewables project, which is being built in Kalbarri, Western Australia, would employ 5.2 GW of wind and solar PV energy to create renewable hydrogen, which will be transformed into an estimated 2 million tonnes of green ammonia per year for domestic and export consumption.
Hydrogen Renewables Australia originally proposed the ambitious project in 2019, which would be built on Murchison House Station, around 20 kilometers north of Kalbarri on the state’s Mid-West coast. The project is presently being directed by Murchison Hydrogen Renewables, a subsidiary of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, a Danish investment firm (MHR).
While no particular facts regarding the massive project were previously public, a referral filed with the state’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) this week discloses the project’s real scope.
MHR plans to add roughly 1.5GW of solar PV and 700 onshore wind turbines with a total capacity of about 3.7GW, according to the proposal.
On-site, a Power-to-X (PtX) facility will be built to convert renewable energy into green hydrogen, which will be processed into two million tonnes of green ammonia per year.
A purpose-built water treatment and desalination plant will create roughly six giga-liters of “demineralized water” each year for use in the production process, and the facility will be equipped with about 3GW of electrolyzers.
The PtX facility will be connected to 250MW-350MW of two-hour battery storage, which will be utilized to manage renewable energy before it is sent to the electrolyzers.
Hydrogen storage is also included in the project, which would be utilized as a bridge between power and ammonia. Up to 200 hydrogen storage containers, each with a capacity of up to 680 tonnes, are expected to be erected.
With a pipeline connecting the PtX plant and storage facility to a maritime export facility, the green ammonia generated at the site will be shipped to burgeoning green energy markets. The proposal also emphasizes the possibility of local, domestic hydrogen or ammonia offtake.
Hydrogen Renewables Australia has already reached a long-term deal with the Murchison House Station’s pastoral lessees, and Siemens has been named as the potential plant’s technological partner.
The project will be constructed in three stages, according to the plan. The first stage would consist of a demonstration phase that would produce hydrogen for transportation fuels, followed by an expansion to blend natural gas into the neighboring Dampier to Bunbury pipeline.
An extension to create hydrogen for export to Asian markets would be included in the third and final phase.
Hydrogen Renewables Australia has previously said that the proposed facility may be scaled up over a six-year period, with full capacity expected by the end of the decade.
The new Gladstone ferry will be powered by hydrogen
Thanks to a $5 million injection from the Palaszczuk government, Gladstone will be home to one of Australia’s first renewable hydrogen-powered passenger ferries.
SeaLink Marine & Tourism will be backed by the government’s $35 million Hydrogen Industry Development Fund, according to Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles (HIDF).
Mr. Miles said, “Gladstone is likely to become one of Australia’s main hydrogen centers, and hydrogen-powered transportation choices are one of the varied uses for hydrogen emerging.”
“With the funds, SeaLink will be able to design, build, and operate a passenger ferry powered by hydrogen fuel cells.”
“The vessel would serve as a shuttle between Gladstone and Curtis Island’s LNG installations.”
“Highly skilled employment for this developing technology will be generated throughout the building of the vessel.”
As part of the $20.6 million SeaLink project, the Palaszczuk government will spend up to $5 million.
More than $20 million will be granted to renewable hydrogen projects in Round 2 of the HIDF, which will support hundreds of highly skilled jobs.
Energy, Renewable Energy, and Hydrogen Minister Green hydrogen, according to Mick de Brenni, is providing more quality, secure employment in more businesses across Queensland.
“Projects are progressing across Queensland from the north to the New South Wales border, and we will continue to introduce world-leading energy technologies to Queensland because it produces new employment,” Mr de Brenni said.
“In our increasing hydrogen supply chain, this is the HIDF’s greatest investment to date.”
“We are building a long-term, thriving domestic hydrogen ecosystem that will provide competitively priced renewable energy solutions to some of the world’s largest enterprises right here on our borders.”
“This is part of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to a sustainable energy future, one in which innovation drives economic growth and creates highly skilled employment for Queenslanders,” said Palaszczuk.
Gladstone Member and Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said the government was continuing to invest in Gladstone, solidifying the city’s position as the hydrogen industry’s hub.
Mr. Butcher said, “This is yet another big vote of confidence in Gladstone’s potential to establish new sectors and export the products throughout the world.”
“We’ve already seen that with the LNG sector, and Gladstone’s – and the region’s – image will be further enhanced by the developing renewable hydrogen industry.”
The HIDF, according to Mr. Butcher, is part of the Queensland Government’s $3.34 billion Queensland Employment Fund, which is growing the state’s industrial footprint, generating jobs, and improving the economy.
“The Queensland Jobs Fund consists of two components: a $2 billion Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund and a $350 million Industry Partnerships Program,” he explained.
Donna Gauci, Chief Operating Officer of SeaLink Marine & Tourism, said the firm was part of Australia’s biggest integrated supplier of land and marine transport services, and that it was dedicated to investing in sustainable transportation solutions.
“We will design and build a world-first internationally compatible hydrogen-powered passenger ferry to join our SeaLink Gladstone fleet operating out of the Gladstone harbor, based on our significant experience in sustainable transportation solutions.”
“The new hydrogen-powered ferry will be a significant addition to our passenger transportation in Gladstone, capable of transporting up to 200 passengers and traveling at speeds of up to 20 knots (37 kph) for up to 50 nautical miles.”
