Labor in South Australia (SA) said this week that if it wins the state election on March 19, it will build a big green hydrogen power plant near Whyalla, on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula, with 250MWe of hydrogen electrolyzer facilities.
The Labor administration will develop a 250MWe hydrogen electrolyzer plant, a 200MW hydrogen-fueled power station, and storage capacity capable of holding 3,600 tonnes of hydrogen at Whyalla, according to SA Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas.
“The energy sector is undergoing a worldwide change. “South Australia’s unique combination of wind and solar resources gives us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to lead the way in this transition,” he said.
The electrolyzers, according to Malinauskas, would use excess renewable energy to make green hydrogen, decreasing the need for individuals and companies to remotely turn off rooftop solar, and would help unleash a $20 billion pipeline of renewable energy projects in the state.
The proposal, which would offer firming capacity in the state grid, is expected to be operational by 2025, according to the State Opposition.
The hydrogen project, which is at the heart of Labor’s energy strategy, was initially announced as a campaign pledge in March of last year, but no site was given.
The State Opposition stated it had received a “detailed submission” from the City of Whyalla, which was chosen for the project because of its standing as a “major industrial city” with a “highly qualified workforce and service industry,” according to the State Opposition.
