Australia's Largest Hydrogen Hub Reaches FID with Plug Electrolyzers
Plug Power will supply 50 MW of PEM electrolyzers for Orica's Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub after Australia's largest renewable hydrogen project reached final investment decision, advancing low-carbon ammonia production.
(P&GJ) — Plug Power will supply 50 megawatts (MW) of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers for Orica's Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub after the renewable hydrogen project reached a final investment decision (FID), marking the largest renewable hydrogen project in Australia to do so.
Located at Orica's ammonia manufacturing facility on Kooragang Island in New South Wales, the project will use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis, replacing a portion of the natural gas currently used to manufacture low-carbon ammonia and ammonium nitrate.
The facility is expected to produce approximately 4,700 metric tons of renewable hydrogen annually, displacing about 7.5% of Orica's natural gas consumption at the site.
Plug Chief Executive Officer José Luis Crespo said reaching FID moves one of Australia's largest hydrogen developments into execution.
"Being selected as the electrolyzer OEM for the country's largest renewable hydrogen project to reach FID... reflects the confidence our customers place in Plug's technology and our ability to deliver at scale," Crespo said.
The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is the first recipient of Australia's Hydrogen Headstart program to reach FID and received AU$432 million in production credits through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
Orica Group President for Australia-Pacific and Sustainability Germán Morales said the project is intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing while lowering emissions from ammonia production.
"We selected Plug as our electrolyzer OEM because of its proven track record in delivering large-scale PEM systems and their ability to support a project of this complexity and ambition," Morales said.
Plug said the Hunter Valley project expands its portfolio of large-scale hydrogen developments, bringing its deployed GenEco electrolyzer capacity to more than 320 MW across six continents.