Western Australia

British-headquartered oil and gas major bp will look at deploying a 100 MW electrolyser to produce renewable hydrogen for domestic and export markets as it seeks to transform its former Kwinana oil refinery site in Western Australia into a green fuels hub.

The Western Australian government has introduced a new environmental assessment exemption order in a bid to facilitate smoother and faster approvals for major renewable energy projects and support the state’s decarbonisation efforts.

Fortescue has applied for land tenements spanning 150,000 hectares, an area twice the size of Singapore, to build renewable projects to supply its operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Australian lithium explorer St George Mining’s critical minerals strategy has received a significant boost with global battery industry giant Shanghai Jayson New Energy Materials tipping a further $3 million into the Perth-based company.

Western Australian battery technology company Altech Batteries has updated the design of its 1 MWh sodium chloride battery energy storage system, paving the way for the modular units to be stacked three high, allowing for smaller project footprints that conserves valuable land area.

Province Resources, a Perth-based company developing an 8 GW green hydrogen project in the state’s Gascoyne region, has had additional licences granted by the WA government covering an area over 600,000 hectares, including over 864 hectares of the seabed near Carnarvon needed for export.

Mining giant Fortescue has abandoned plans to build a 5.4 GW solar, wind and battery energy storage project that was to provide renewable energy to power its iron ore mining operations in Western Australia’s northwest.

Solar glass manufacturer ClearVue Technologies is poised to accelerate its global expansion plans and further the commercialisation of its technology after locking in a $30 million (USD 19 million) funding facility with Australian fund manager Alpha Investment Partners.

Government agency Export Finance Australia will provide $220 million (USD 140 million) to help finance Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Lithium project after involvement from Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, caused its giant Albemarle deal to collapse.

Traditional lands owners in Western Australia’s Pilbara region have signed an agreement with mining giant Rio Tinto to collaborate on large-scale renewable energy projects as the resources heavyweight powers up efforts to decarbonise its supply chain.