$300m Queensland Hydrogen Hub gets green light

AN AGREEMENT has been made for the construction of a series of hydrogen production facilities along Australia’s east coast, starting with a $300 million Hydrogen Hub in the Queensland city of Bundaberg.

The agreement was signed by three Australian companies comprising Elvin Group Renewables, Denzo Pty Ltd and local fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) start-up manufacturer H2X, which will allow for the production of industrial amounts of hydrogen.

The first steps in the partnership will involve the development of an 80-megawatt hydrogen electrolyser, a process which will be split into two stages of 40-megawatt instalments.

The group – going under the name Green Hydrogen Australia Group (GHAG) – hopes that upon completion, the Bundaberg facility will be able to produce 6000 tonnes of zero-emission hydrogen per year.

It is expected that the construction of the site will provide employment for the local community, and can also help develop a range of new skills training for the renewables market.

GHAG said the project will aim to provide as much local content and manufacturing as possible.

The group anticipates that the hydrogen produced will be used in a range of industrial and vehicular uses, while Denzo representative Ken Mathews said there is also the possibility of developing liquid hydrogen.

Liquid hydrogen could become a viable source of hydrogen fuel after the CSIRO made technological breakthroughs 12 months ago, developing a membrane that can separate hydrogen from ammonia, allowing hydrogen to be transported in liquid form as opposed to gas.

Along with the Bundaberg site, another hydrogen production facility is planned for Port Kemba, NSW, where H2X’s production facilities are based.

A third site will also materialise, likely on the NSW coast.

Mr Mathews said the GHAG partnership provided a great opportunity for renewable energy projects in Australia.

“The GHAG will work together diligently to bring out the collective intellectual property and know-how in mainly selecting known and proved up technology,” he said.

“This will reduce the capital expenditure and increase the returns on investment and offer the huge benefits of the uses of hydrogen as a clean energy fuel.

“Both Bundaberg port and Kembla port projects are advancing well for port depots producing hydrogen and we seek a third port possibly in NSW.

“The alliance of the Denzo-Mathews Group with H2X Automotive and the Elvin Renewables Group coming together as GHAG forms a formidable team to advance the use of hydrogen in Australia and internationally.”

H2X is currently working on a range of prototype vehicles built in Australia for sale by the middle of the decade, including the Snowy SUV, a medium-sized van, a pick-up and a tractor.

Early prototypes of the Snowy use a FCEV powertrain developing 190kW, with a claimed range of around 650km.