In order to explore plans for a hydrogen manufacturing facility in South Australia, Trafigura, owners of Nyrstar, Port Pirie multi-metals facility operators, met with Trade and Investment Minister Nick Champion in Singapore.
One of the biggest physical commodities trading firms in the world, Trafigura is exploring potential to advance a commercial-scale green hydrogen manufacturing facility in Port Pirie with Nyrstar and the South Australian government.
The proposed project might significantly boost the state’s economy and create jobs in the hydrogen industry. The full-scale facility would be able to supply both the domestic and foreign markets with 100 tonnes of green hydrogen per day from a 440 Megawatt electrolyser.
The Nyrstar Port Pirie smelter would use the oxygen produced during the hydrogen generation process, and the project’s electrolyser would be powered by 100% renewable electricity, which would help the facility’s power source become less carbon-intensive.
Using a $2.5 million funding from the Jobs and Economic Development Fund, the South Australian state government has advanced the Front-End Engineering Design for the project.
Aluminium, copper, and zinc must be produced and refined at considerably higher rates in order to construct wind and solar farms and sustain other essential infrastructure in a net zero future.
South Australia has the chance to gain from the expanding worldwide demand for energy transition metals through expanded exports and refining thanks to a robust resources sector and a prominent lead, zinc, and copper refiner situated in Port Pirie.
The state government is working with Nyrstar on ways for Port Pirie to investigate the extraction of additional important minerals as it develops its Critical Minerals Plan.
