Origin Energy Future Fuels and Orica have been chosen to develop the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub.
The funding comes from the Australian Government‘s Regional Hydrogen Hubs Program. The Program will invest over $500 million in up to seven hydrogen hubs across Australia. Hydrogen hubs are sites where producers, consumers, and exporters of hydrogen collaborate to exchange infrastructure and expertise.
The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is located in Newcastle, NSW, in the Port of Newcastle. The port is an ideal site for a green hydrogen hub that can help the region’s heavy industry decarbonise.
The investment will significantly contribute to the infrastructure required to construct a production plant capable of producing up to 5500 tonnes of green hydrogen per year.
The project aims to create a green hydrogen export pipeline while also supporting area job prospects. It will do this by enhancing worker capacities and fostering the development of a new sector focused on green hydrogen availability.
Planning is ongoing for green hydrogen to flow to Kooragang Island for use at Orica’s ammonia and ammonium nitrate facility. This will result in a significant decrease in CO2 emissions from the facility. Further reductions will be realised through the usage of hydrogen in heavy transport such as buses.
The Regional Hydrogen Hubs program is part of the Federal Government’s $40 billion effort to make Australia a green energy generation and innovation powerhouse.
