Bristol Springs Solar Hydrogen Project (Archived)

Bristol Springs Solar Hydrogen Project

The project plans for a co-located solar farm facility and renewables-based hydrogen production plant with an initial 36 MW electrolyser capacity, located approximately 100 kilometres south of Perth.

Main proponents: Frontier Energy Limited	Main end-use classification: Domestic use focus – several end-uses under evaluation, with power generation and domestic gas offset the most likely short-term pathways	Status: Archived	Estimated cost:
Other involvement:	Production details: Stage 1 of the development includes an initial 36-megawatt (MW) renewables-based hydrogen production plant capable of producing approximately 4,900 tonnes of hydrogen per annum	Location: Western Australia, Australia	Announced funding:

Project description

Stage 1 of the Bristol Springs Solar Hydrogen Project includes a 114 MW renewable electricity generating solar farm to be co-located with a proposed renewables-based hydrogen production plant. Under Stage 1, the project would generate approximately 237,000 MWh of solar-based electricity which would be used to supply behind-the-meter power to an initial 36 MW renewables-based hydrogen production plant (capable of producing approximately 4,900 tonnes of renewables-based hydrogen per annum).

The Bristol Springs site is located approximately 100 kilometres south of Perth in close proximity to the Dampier Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline as well as close access to the South West Interconnected System. A range of end uses is under evaluation, including hydrogen use in gas networks, power generation, energy storage, industrial feedstock, and transport applications.

Around 50 tonnes of hydrogen storage capacity is planned under Stage 1; however, this will be determined based on the final use case. Water for use in the electrolysis process is secured from the state-owned Water Corporation’s existing water trunk main. The water is sourced from the existing state-owned desalination plant

FEED studies for the 114 MW facilities of Stage 1 of the solar farm development are complete, Development Approval from the Joint Development Assessment Panel has been received and, as of May 2023, an electricity connection has been allocated and the Electricity Transfer Access Contract (ETAC) is being finalised with Western Power. The project proponent has also secured additional land and recent studies confirmed the initial solar and hydrogen capacity can scale to over one gigawatt (GW).

The proponent has completed pre-FEED studies for the hydrogen production facilities and published its Definitive Feasibility Study in March 2023.

Over the course of 2023 and into 2024, Frontier Energy’s near-term strategic direction became focused on its Waroona solar farm and battery storge project development. With respect to hydrogen project development, a March 2024 presentation (Appendix 1) notes that “The market for hydrogen is in its infancy. Frontier has completed a study and remains well placed to develop green hydrogen once the market matures……”

 

Updated: April 2024