Hydrogen

Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner plans to focus on developing “world-changing, economy building” clean energy projects in Australia’s north after accepting a new role with mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s renewable energy company Fortescue Future Industries.

Plans to build one of the world’s largest renewable energy powered electrolysers in Queensland continue to gather pace with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency awarding $13.7 million (USD 8.8 million) to the proponents of the project to help finance a $38 million front-end engineering and design study.

Cemvita claims it can produce hydrogen at the “lowest possible cost,” Deutsche Bahn and Fortescue Future Industries have announced plans to jointly modify diesel engines for locomotives, and the Canadian province of Alberta has started promoting its hydrogen potential in Japan.

From 2023, PepsiCo Australia will trial a hydrogen fuelled heavy duty truck at one of its Brisbane manufacturing sites. The trial is in partnership with Pure Hydrogen, a company positioning itself as a supplier of both hydrogen powered vehicles via leasing arrangements, as well as hydrogen itself.

Marsh has launched the world’s first insurance facility for green and blue hydrogen project risks. Pv magazine recently spoke with the company about the challenges that operators face in securing insurance coverage for new technologies.

Western Australian developer Frontier Energy has shortlisted two EPC contractors for its Bristol Springs 114 MW solar and, eventually, green hydrogen project south of Perth.

Australian startup H2X is finally launching its fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) Warrego Ute announced last year. The vehicle is currently undergoing final validation and verification with the company saying it expects to have the model on the market within nine months.

International metals group Korea Zinc’s Australian subsidiary Ark Energy has announced it will build 3 GW of renewable energy generation in north Queensland as part of plans to produce more than 1 million tonnes of green ammonia per annum for export by 2032.

Construction of a large-scale solar-powered green hydrogen and ammonia development in Western Australia will begin next month with ammonia producer Yara and the Australian arm of French renewables giant Engie announcing on Friday the final investment decision on the $87.1 million project.

Australia’s ambitions to become a major player in global green hydrogen production and trade have received a boost with a new report from Geoscience Australia confirming the potential for large-scale, underground storage of hydrogen in salt caverns across the country.