GREEN HYDROGEN IN THE NEWS NO SHORTAGE OF SCALE OR AMBITION: WESTERN GREEN ENERGY HUB It’s big news in Australia and gaining much attention worldwide: the mighty ambitious, mighty large Western Green Energy Hub destined for coastal region of Esperance, Western Australia, that will emerge as one of the largest energy projects anywhere on the planet. The consortium of InterContinental Energy, CWP Global and the Mirning People is looking toward 50GW wind and solar capacity and 28GW of electrolyser capacity to produce up to 3.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen or 20 million tonnes of green ammonia annually. The build cost is an unsurprisingly hefty $100 billion for the site spanning 15,000 km2 (half the area of Belgium and just 5,000 km2 short of Wales) with an FID (Final Investment Decision) target of 2028. Big numbers don’t deter CWP and Intercontinental who expect the green hydrogen sector to become a $US2.5 trillion market by 2050. The project marks the largest ever commercial partnership with First Nations Land Owners. The Mirning People will hold a permanent seat on the board. Western Australia’s hydrogen minister Alannah MacTiernan whose government is a founding partner in the Smart Energy Council’s Zero Carbon certification scheme reiterated WA’s intent to become a major contributor to global decarbonisation and deliver a strong economic future for the state.
THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING $6.2 million through the Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund and committing $1 million in businesses support for hydrogen projects as part of the Renewable Hydrogen Business Ready Fund. The two grant programs are funded as part of the $10 million Accelerating Victoria’s Hydrogen Industry package. Victoria is also leading significant research through the Australian Hydrogen Centre (AHC); working with National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) to support the development of Regional Hydrogen Technology Clusters; and partnering with hydrogen leaders across the sector.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO IN THE WARREGO? Australian car maker H2X Global has unveiled its Pick-Up Warrego, the tough versatile, all-terrain vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells that can be used in construction sites, mining locations and many other extreme scenarios. The H2X Pick-Up Warrego will be one of the first such vehicles launched to market, a van and taxi MPV will follow and are intended to “complement the existing and upcoming hydrogen projects around the world, working as a proof of concept for hydrogen vehicles and their multiple uses”. H2X Global is considering public listing in a bid to raise $500 million in coming years.
FIVE HYDROGEN-POWERED HYUNDAI NEXOs have taken to Queensland’s roads as the state heads for a “zero-emissions travel revolution”. This brings the government’s fleet of zero-emission vehicles to 60 of a planned 144 electric vehicles by year’s end. Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni commented transport is Australia’s second largest emitter after the electricity sector and “every zero emissions car we can put on the road is another customer for Queensland’s home-grown renewable energy”. “Queensland has what it takes to produce renewable hydrogen at scale… these vehicles grow demand for renewable hydrogen, which grows demand for renewable energy, which in turn means we can reindustrialise our economy through cheaper, cleaner power.” Sunshine Coast’s H2H Energy has developed a refuelling station at the Redlands research facility which is home to the Queensland University of Technology’s research and development work into the hydrogen economy.
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