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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Australia's largest energy company, AGL Energy Limited (Sydney, New South Wales), has revealed plans to construct a green hydrogen and ammonia production facility of up to 2 gigawatts (GW) in capacity at the site of the existing Liddell coal-fired plant.
Liddell is one of two coal-fired plants owned by AGL in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales (NSW), both of which have become the focus of a series of planned renewable energy projects by the company. Liddell power station is due to be retired next year and replaced by the Hunter Energy Hub. The news comes just weeks after Australia's new government passed its most ambitious climate change bill in the lower house of the Australian parliament. The bill significantly raises the country's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction target to 43% by 2030 from 2005 levels, compared with the previous target of 26-28%. For additional information, see August 23, 2022, article - Australia Passes Beefed Up Greenhouse Gas Bill.
Working with Fortescue Future Industries, the company has started a feasibility study into the industrial-scale production of renewable hydrogen and ammonia at the Hunter Energy Hub. Early estimates suggest the site can support a hydrogen facility of up to 2 GW in scale, AGL stated, but the study will test "critical inputs including renewable energy costs, firming requirements, electrolyser capital costs, logistics and utilization." The finished plant will have a minimum capacity of 150 megawatts (MW). Industrial Info is tracking plans for a similar project at its nearby Bayswater coal-fired plant.
AGL Chief Operating Officer Markus Brokhof said: "The feasibility scope will focus on assessing the accelerated implementation of a large-scale production facility from minimum 150 MW and up to 2 GW of hydrogen and preferred derivatives including ammonia for export and domestic use. Our Hunter Energy Hub will be the first of its kind in Australia and will be an example of how an energy hub can combine grid-scale batteries, solar thermal storage, wind and pumped hydro. It will be an industry-leading model for our other large generation sites and others across the country. Liddell and Bayswater benefit from unique energy infrastructure, positioned with strong grid connectivity, established transport links, workshops and proximity to water supply and industrial activity."
Industrial Info is tracking the proposed decommissioning of the Liddell coal-fired power station alongside plans for three battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the same site, with a combined investment value US$405 million. Last month, AGL commissioned Queensland's largest operational commercial scale battery near Wandoan, capable of storing 150 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy and delivering 100 MW of capacity to the grid. "During the day when renewables are online, the Wandoan South BESS is able to store this energy and then release it when the sun isn't shining, the wind isn't blowing, or other forms of generation are offline," Brokhof said. "This is important for providing security to the energy market and avoiding system constraints, particularly in areas like the Darling Downs with a large local load and the potential for a high renewable energy build over the coming decade."
AGL's partner, Fortescue, started construction on one of the world's largest green hydrogen electrolyser facilities earlier this year. Ground-breaking took place in February on the Green Energy Manufacturing Centre (GEM) in Gladstone Queensland. Initial investment for the electrolyser project is US$83 million. The facility will have a capacity of 2 GW per year, enough to produce more than 200,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year. Fortescue is aiming to produce 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
Liddell is one of two coal-fired plants owned by AGL in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales (NSW), both of which have become the focus of a series of planned renewable energy projects by the company. Liddell power station is due to be retired next year and replaced by the Hunter Energy Hub. The news comes just weeks after Australia's new government passed its most ambitious climate change bill in the lower house of the Australian parliament. The bill significantly raises the country's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction target to 43% by 2030 from 2005 levels, compared with the previous target of 26-28%. For additional information, see August 23, 2022, article - Australia Passes Beefed Up Greenhouse Gas Bill.
Working with Fortescue Future Industries, the company has started a feasibility study into the industrial-scale production of renewable hydrogen and ammonia at the Hunter Energy Hub. Early estimates suggest the site can support a hydrogen facility of up to 2 GW in scale, AGL stated, but the study will test "critical inputs including renewable energy costs, firming requirements, electrolyser capital costs, logistics and utilization." The finished plant will have a minimum capacity of 150 megawatts (MW). Industrial Info is tracking plans for a similar project at its nearby Bayswater coal-fired plant.
AGL Chief Operating Officer Markus Brokhof said: "The feasibility scope will focus on assessing the accelerated implementation of a large-scale production facility from minimum 150 MW and up to 2 GW of hydrogen and preferred derivatives including ammonia for export and domestic use. Our Hunter Energy Hub will be the first of its kind in Australia and will be an example of how an energy hub can combine grid-scale batteries, solar thermal storage, wind and pumped hydro. It will be an industry-leading model for our other large generation sites and others across the country. Liddell and Bayswater benefit from unique energy infrastructure, positioned with strong grid connectivity, established transport links, workshops and proximity to water supply and industrial activity."
Industrial Info is tracking the proposed decommissioning of the Liddell coal-fired power station alongside plans for three battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the same site, with a combined investment value US$405 million. Last month, AGL commissioned Queensland's largest operational commercial scale battery near Wandoan, capable of storing 150 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy and delivering 100 MW of capacity to the grid. "During the day when renewables are online, the Wandoan South BESS is able to store this energy and then release it when the sun isn't shining, the wind isn't blowing, or other forms of generation are offline," Brokhof said. "This is important for providing security to the energy market and avoiding system constraints, particularly in areas like the Darling Downs with a large local load and the potential for a high renewable energy build over the coming decade."
AGL's partner, Fortescue, started construction on one of the world's largest green hydrogen electrolyser facilities earlier this year. Ground-breaking took place in February on the Green Energy Manufacturing Centre (GEM) in Gladstone Queensland. Initial investment for the electrolyser project is US$83 million. The facility will have a capacity of 2 GW per year, enough to produce more than 200,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year. Fortescue is aiming to produce 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
