ABEL Energy Bell Bay Powerfuels Project

A feasibility study is being undertaken to assess the potential for developing a large-scale renewables-based hydrogen and e-methanol facility at Bell Bay in Tasmania.

Main proponents: ABEL Energy	Main end-use classification: Export potential: industrial process – methanol production Domestic use	Status: Under development	Estimated cost:
Other involvement:	Production details: Approximately 44 tonnes per day in total under evaluation	Location: Tasmania, Australia	Announced funding:

Project description

The project proponent is investigating the feasibility of constructing a large-scale renewables-based hydrogen and e-methanol facility at the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone in Tasmania.

The feasibility study is assessing the feasibility of deploying a 100 megawatt (MW) electrolysis plant to produce renewables-based hydrogen, part of which would be available for domestic consumption though the majority of hydrogen produced would act as feedstock (along with CO₂) to enable renewables-based production of methanol, targeted mainly for export.

It is estimated that the methanol synthesis plant would consume around 38 tonnes of hydrogen per day, with a further 6 tonnes per day available for domestic supply.

Carbon dioxide for the methanol production process would be derived from local wood waste or from direct capture from the atmosphere. Annual projected methanol output is 60,000 – 70,000 tonnes.

Milestones

November 2020: The feasibility study for this project is one of three feasibility studies to which funds were allocated in November 2020 by the Tasmanian Government under its AUD$20 million Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Fund (part of the wider AUD$50 million Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Funding Program).

 

Last reviewed: August 2021