Edify Green Hydrogen Project

February 22nd, 2024

Edify Green Hydrogen Project

The project proponent has received Development Approval for a 1-gigawatt (GW) renewables-based hydrogen production facility to be located at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct near Townsville, Queensland.  The facility would be be constructed in stages to meet market demand, beginning with an initial 17.6 MW production facility.

Main proponents:

Edify Energy

 

 Main end-use classification:

Export potential, domestic use

 Status:

Under development

 Estimated cost:

 
Other involvement:

Siemens Energy – technology partner

 

 Production details:

First stage planned deployment is of a 17.6 MW electrolyser with initial hydrogen production at approximately 800 tonnes per annum; the proponent is targeting to build up to approximately 150,000 tonnes of hydrogen production

 Location:

Queensland, Australia

 Announced funding:

German-Australian HyGATE Initiative: Australian funding of AUD$20.74 million and German funding of €16.4 million conditionally awarded to Edify Energy (Australian lead applicant) and Siemens Energy (German lead applicant)

AUD$48.2 million awarded to Edify Energy to support project development through the Federal Government’s Regional Hubs Program for the development of the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub (which was awarded up to AUD$70 million in January 2024 with Edify Energy as hub lead).

Project description

Edify Energy has secured 107 hectares of land at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct following a successful bid in a tender application in June 2020. A further 9.7 hectares was conditionally committed to Edify Energy for a potential sub-station to connect the Precinct to the high voltage powerline network and wider energy grid into the future.

The Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct is being developed by the Townsville City Council.

After lodging a planning application in April 2021, Edify Energy received Development Approval by Townsville City Council in September 2021 for a 1 GW renewables-based hydrogen production facility with behind-the-meter renewable electricity and storage capability at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct.

The Development Approval allows for the project to be constructed in stages, in line with domestic and export use cases. The first stage of the development involves the deployment of 17.6 MW of electrolyser capacity with 21 MW solar PV integrated behind the meter to produce renewable hydrogen for domestic industrial and transport applications. The project would use recycled water and/or raw water.

The project would initially produce approximately 800 tonnes of renewables-based hydrogen per annum, with the proponent targeting to build up production to approximately 150,000 tonnes to service both domestic and export markets from the Port of Townsville. PEM electrolysis is under evaluation for the initial domestic facility; technology for future stages would be assessed at the appropriate time.

Commercial operations is targeted for 2027.

Edify Energy is working with key stakeholders, such as the Townsville City Council, the Department of State Development, and the Port of Townsville Limited, in relation to efficient common user infrastructure to support hydrogen export from Townsville.  Edify is working with Trade Investment Queensland and Austrade in relation to potential project partners.

Edify Energy is also developing the nearby Majors Creek Solar Power Station (around 400 MW with 4 hours battery storage) which would support industry at the Precinct.

Edify Energy is a founding member of the NQH2 consortium that is progressing a hydrogen hub in North Queensland.

In November 2021, it was announced that Edify Energy and the Port of Townsville had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the process and feasibility of exporting hydrogen through the city’s Port.

Also in November 2021, Queensland Pacific Metals (QPM) announced a non-binding MoU with Edify Energy regarding the supply of renewables-based hydrogen from the Lansdown project.  The hydrogen purchased would supplement QPM’s gas supply.

Under the terms of the MoU, Edify Energy would supply and QPM would purchase:

  • 100,000 gigajoules equivalent (or approximately 750 tonnes) per annum of renewables-based hydrogen gas.
  • 4.2 x 106 Nm3 of oxygen gas; and
  • Up to ~4,000kL of wastewater

In January 2023, under the German–Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator (HyGATE) initiative, Australian funding of AUD$20.74 million and German funding of €16.4 million was (conditionally) awarded to Edify Energy (Australian lead applicant) to develop, construct and operate the Edify Green Hydrogen Project in partnership with Siemens Energy (German lead applicant).

In January 2024, Edify Energy was awarded AUD$48.2 million in funding to support development of the Edify Energy Green Hydrogen Project; the grant funding was secured through the Federal Government’s Regional Hubs Program for the development of the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub in north Queensland (which was awarded up to AUD$70 million in January 2024 with Edify Energy as hub lead).

This description is based on publicly available materials.

 

Updated: February 2024