Hydrogen Production using Geothermal Energy – Pilot Project

Hydrogen Production using Geothermal Energy – Pilot Project

This pilot development includes a hydrogen production plant using electricity from geothermal energy located adjacent to the Mokai power units in New Zealand.

Main proponents: The Tuaropaki Trust	Main end-use classification: Under evaluation	Status: Under development	Estimated cost:
Other involvement:	Production details:	Location: Waikato, New Zealand	Announced funding:

Project description

The (Taupo-based) Tuaropaki Trust owns a large area of land overlying the Mokai geothermal system in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. At Moki, a single development body (the Tuaropaki Trust) has access to the majority of the resource. The Tuaropaki Power Company, which is 75 per cent owned by the Tuaropaki Trust, owns two geothermal power units at Mokai with total generating capacity of approximately 110 megawatts (MW). The units are operated by Mercury Energy/Mighty River Power, the 25 per cent owner of the Tuaropaki Power Company.

In December 2017, the Tuaropaki Trust and Obayashi Corporation, a Japanese construction company, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a pilot project for the production of hydrogen using geothermal power.

The pilot involves the construction of a 1.5MW hydrogen production plant. The (renewable) hydrogen would be produced using electricity from geothermal energy located adjacent to the (Tuaropaki) Mokai power units.

In November 2018, the Tuaropaki Trust and Obayashi Corporation established Halcyon Power under the terms of a joint venture agreement to progress research and development of hydrogen production in New Zealand and the development of domestic and export markets.

In April 2019, the Canadian-based Hydrogenics Corporation announced that it had entered into an agreement with Halcyon Power to supply the hydrogen production facility for the pilot.

 

This description is based on publicly available information as at May 2020.