1 GW HyEnergy Project appoints ERM to direct swift approvals process

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Perth-based Province Resources, which is pushing ahead with a 1 GW hybrid solar and wind project in Western Australia (WA) to produce green hydrogen for domestic use and export, has appointed ERM to de-risk the project for the raft of approvals needed before it can be developed and operational. 

Province Resources revealed plans for its HyEnergy Renewable Hydrogen Project (HyEnergy Project) back in February, plans including 1 GW of co-located wind and solar in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. The energy from that project will be used to produce approximately 60,000 tons of green hydrogen per year, or up to 300,000 tons of green ammonia.

Province Resources managing director David Frances stressed the critical importance of having a company like ERM onboard as negotiating the path of approvals in a timely manner is of foundational importance to any project, especially one of this scale. “I am looking forward to working with the team at ERM and progressing the HyEnergy Project in what is quickly becoming a massive emerging clean energy industry,” Frances said. 

The Gascoyne region is ideal for a clean energy project of this size. A vast flat-lying arid landscape not dissimilar to the Pilbara where the 26 GW Asian Renewable Energy Hub is planned. However, despite the imminent surge of demand in green hydrogen and green ammonia, large-scale green supply projects remain enormous tasks to get off the ground. 

Perhaps the most trying aspect is ensuring a project can generate enough energy cheaply, and the most economical way of generating enough green energy to supply offtaker markets like Japan and South Korea is to co-locate wind and solar in vast flat areas that are as windy as they are sunny. Generally, places with the amount of wind and sun necessary are colloquially known as deserts, and Australia is chockers with them. 

Big batteries are still relatively expensive, meaning that co-location of wind and solar is the best way to ensure 24/7 generation for the production of green hydrogen and ammonia. Solar dominates the day, wind dominates the night. 

Interestingly, the HyEnergy Project is also set to be located near the town of Carnarvon, a town which boasts high-class infrastructure including the Dampier Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP). Unlike some other large-scale green hydrogen projects in planning or development, this means the HyEnergy Project already has the infrastructure in place for at least some level of domestic pipeline supply. After all, WA’s Hydrogen Strategy aims to reach a 10% mix of green hydrogen in the DBNGP by 2030. 

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