Green hydrogen developer Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and renewables firm Windlab are to develop 10GW of wind and solar power to produce green hydrogen in Queensland.

The first stage of the so-called North Queensland Superhub, which includes the 800MW Prairie Wind Farm and the 1GW Wongalee project, is currently in the midst of detailed planning, with land agreements in place and the application for development approval for Prairie Wind Farm planned for submission in the coming months.

“The North Queensland Super Hub presents a high-yield, complementary wind and solar resource in a region ideally suited for multiple offtake opportunities,” says Windlab CEO John Martin.

Subject to approvals, construction on the first stage is expected to commence in 2025 with the projects anticipated to begin producing power by 2027. Energy generated from the project will provide renewable power to the grid as well as being used by FFI to produce green hydrogen.

The announcement comes off the back of FFI’s investment in establishing the world’s largest electrolyser manufacturing facility in Gladstone.

“For the first time, the North Queensland Super Hub will provide the quantity of renewable energy we need to support large-scale green hydrogen production right here in Queensland,” says FFI CEO Mark Hutchinson.

“The environmental and economic opportunities that can stem from this are significant, both in terms of lowering emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and in terms of local job creation.”

Growing industry

FFI and manufacturing firm Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) are also progressing with plans to convert IPL’s Gibson Island ammonia facility to run on green hydrogen.

Studies have confirmed the feasibility of constructing a new 500MW electrolyser at the site in Brisbane, Queensland, as well as the retrofitting of IPL’s existing facility to run on green hydrogen.

According to research conducted for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, demand for hydrogen exported from Australia could be over 3 mn t/yr by 2040.

Australia has 13 low-carbon hydrogen projects of more than 1GW in size, with a potential production capacity of c.8.4mn t/yr, according to data from government agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Around 1.5mn t/yr of this is likely to be online before 2030.

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Author: Tom Young