Pure Hydrogen signs deal to develop large-scale facility

The Pure Hydrogen International joint venture – comprising Real Energy’s wholly owned offshoot Pure Hydrogen and Liberty Hydrogen – has signed a term sheet with hydrogen project development firm Port Anthony Renewables to develop a 20-tonne-per-day hydrogen production facility at Port Anthony, about 200km southeast of Melbourne.

The announcement comes just weeks after Pure Hydrogen and Liberty Hydrogen established a joint venture company to develop a network of hydrogen manufacturing and distribution hubs – two in Queensland, and one each in New South Wales and Victoria.

Real Energy managing director Scott Brown said the Port Anthony site it is ideally suited to the company’s goal to build and develop a large-scale hydrogen business, providing access to shipping and road transportation — facilities that should allow for the export of any product that is unneeded locally.

“This is an ideal site for a hydrogen hub with the necessary attributes to cater for both domestic and international markets,” he said.

“This agreement builds on our strategy of co-operating and collaborating with experienced operators to develop a significant hydrogen business capable of servicing a large customer base.”

Brown said the Port Anthony project, which was originally being developed by Liberty Hydrogen, would utilise “best-of-breed hydrogen and fuel cell technology”. It is expected the project will involve the use of an electrolyser to produce hydrogen, powered by electricity sourced through either ‘blue’ or ‘green’ power purchase agreements.

The project is one of four hydrogen manufacturing and distribution hubs Pure Hydrogen is planning for Australia’s East Coast – with similar ventures mooted for the port cities of Gladstone, Mackay and Newcastle.

“We are making solid progress securing site control at our other three planned hubs, as well as potential new locations, as well as advancing further technology and new customer agreements with further updates pending,” Brown said.

Port Anthony has long been a hub for offshore oil and gas exploration and production and Port Anthony Renewables executive chairman Ben Anthony said the shift towards hydrogen would ensure it remains a cornerstone of Australia’s energy sector.

“This change of direction is in line with both current and future community expectations,” he said.

“It builds on Australia’s push to decarbonise a large energy-based industry by engaging in activities that substantially reduce carbon emissions.

“This deal with Pure Hydrogen International is yet another opportunity to show Port Anthony can manoeuvre itself to continue to provide that service to Australia through a greener way of operating. Port Anthony will continue to undertake the same activities it has for the many years, while at the same time reducing its carbon footprint.”