The Australian state of Queensland has signed a deal to export 20mn t/yr of hydrogen to the Port of Rotterdam by 2050.

Queensland has built a 2GW/yr electrolyser plant in Gladstone and is home to the H2 Hub project. The 3GW project was recently granted major project status by the state government. It aims to produce 5,000t/d of green ammonia from early 2024.

The deal is well-timed, Queensland energy minister Mick de Brenni told the World Hydrogen Summit by video link.

“This latest milestone demonstrates that Queensland has what it takes to help economies around the world achieve their decarbonisation ambitions,” he says.

“And given the recent impacts of world events on energy security and their sky-rocketing effect on power prices, this has perhaps never been more important,” he adds.

20mn t/yr – Planned exports by 2050

Imports will start with ammonia in 2025. De Brenni outlined the steps Queensland has taken to develop large-scale manufacturing, including a A$2bn ($1.4bn) jobs fund.

“We are skilling Queenslanders to ensure we maximise the opportunity to become a world leader in hydrogen,” he says.

“We also have three Queensland Renewable Energy Zones that allow us to coordinate our vast supply of renewable energy and open doors to rapidly develop our green hydrogen hubs.”

De Brenni adds that Queensland will soon release a ten-year energy plan that will help develop ports, seaboard infrastructure, scientific research and manufacturing capabilities.

Growing hub

Gas network operator Gasunie, terminal operator HES International and storage firm Vopak are developing an import terminal for green and blue ammonia at the Port of Rotterdam that will handle the imports.

The terminal will be connected to Gasunie’s planned hydrogen pipeline backbone in the Netherlands. The firm aims to bring the pipeline that will form the main part of the backbone into operation by the second quarter of 2024. Companies that intend to consume or produce hydrogen will be encouraged to link to the open-access network.

The Port of Rotterdam last year also completed a joint study with Iceland’s national power company, Landsvirkjun, on the feasibility of shipping green hydrogen from Iceland to the Netherlands. The port has also signed an import deal with the Port of Corpus Christi in the US.

BP and Dutch hydrogen development company Hycc agreed in February to accelerate plans for a 250MW green hydrogen project at the Port of Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte extension, following the completion of a feasibility study. The project will feed BP’s Rotterdam refinery and other industrial consumers in the area.

Maasvlakte is also the selected site for a 200MW green hydrogen project under development by oil major Shell.

By developing its own production as well as securing imports, the Port of Rotterdam is looking to become a hub for the trade of hydrogen, COO Boudewijn Siemons told the World Hydrogen Summit this week.

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Author: Tom Young