Fortescue, AGL Energy bid to transform NSW coal plants right into wind and also PV-powered hydrogen centers

• Mining gigantic Fortescue is to partner with Australian energy major AGL Energy to take a look at the potential of repurposing tradition coal properties for renewables-powered green hydrogen centers.

Fortescue's Future Industries (FFI) division will certainly collaborate with AGL on feasibility studies to repurpose the existing energy infrastructure at the Liddell and also Bayswater coal-fired power plant, situated in Hunter Valley, New South Wales, as well as convert them into green hydrogen manufacturing centers.

AGL has already mentioned that Liddell is to shut completely by April 2023, with the very first units readied to shutter in the following year. Combined with Bayswater, the two centers have an overall generation outcome of around 4.6 GW.

A 250MW battery energy storage facility has actually currently been recommended for the Liddell site.

Need to the feasibility studies return a favourable decision, gigawatts of new wind and also solar PV could be mounted at the websites, sustained by brand-new pumped hydro as well as battery energy storage options, to power electrolysers.

A first 250MW of new wind and solar PV is being earmarked for advancement, which might sustain electrolyser capacity sufficient to generate around 30,000 tonnes of green hydrogen yearly.

FFI and AGL will certainly be signed up with by other events on the projects, the business claimed.

While it's planned for the green hydrogen to be used primarily to aid decarbonise New South Wales' economy-- the business said successful repurposing of the two coal assets would certainly "turbo charge" the Australian state's target of halving its discharges by 2030-- export choices are additionally on the table.

Australia is taken into consideration one of the leading markets for solar-powered hydrogen production offered its sufficient irradiance and also heavy industry, while export choices-- particularly those linked to Southeast Asia-- have likewise been recommended.

Fortescue is likewise among the charter member of the United Nations-backed Green Hydrogen Catapult, a consortium which additionally counts energy majors Iberdrola as well as Ørsted within its ranks, which finally month's COP26 top unveiled a raised target of commissioning 45GW of green hydrogen projects by 2027.

Andrew Forrest, creator as well as chair of FFI, claimed the department's goal was to transform regional Australia into a "worldwide green energy heartland" and highlighted the repurposing of fossil fuel infrastructure to create green hydrogen as "the remedy we have actually been seeking".

"Green hydrogen is the only real zero-carbon, zero-methane fuel-- every other type of hydrogen calls for the burning of fossil fuels.

"It is a functional, implementable option that can break down exhausts and produce strong economic situations worldwide if leaders like Graeme [Hunt, CEO at AGL] are fully supported by international capitalists as well as local government alike," Forrest claimed.