Murchison Hydrogen Renewables Project

Murchison Hydrogen Renewables Project

The project, located near Kalbarri in the mid-west region of Western Australia, is for a combined large-scale wind and solar energy development to produce renewables-based hydrogen which would be converted into ammonia, mainly for export purposes.

Main proponents: Murchison Hydrogen Renewables Pty Ltd (parent company being Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners) as trustees for the Murchison Hydrogen Renewables Project Trust	Main end-use classification: Industrial process – ammonia production, export focussed	Status: Under development	Estimated cost:
Other involvement:	Production details: Project total electrolyser capacity is anticipated at around 3 gigawatts (GW)	Location: Western Australia, Australia	Announced funding:

Project description

(Note: This project is one of six applicants that have been shortlisted by ARENA and invited to submit a full application in the next stage of the AUD$2 billion Hydrogen Headstart Program.)

The project would use combined onshore wind and solar energy of approximately 6.1 GW capacity to produce renewables-based hydrogen which would be converted to an estimated 2 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of ammonia, mainly for export to emerging green energy markets (with potential for domestic offtake as hydrogen or ammonia).

The project would be located approximately 20 kilometres north of Kalbarri in Western Australia’s mid-west region.

The project includes several key onshore and marine components (though not limited to those shown below) including:

• Installation of up to approximately 700 wind turbines with an installed capacity of around 3.7 GW.
• Solar PV Farm deployment within a footprint of up to 10,000 hectares, with a capacity of around 2.4 GW.
• Total electrolyser capacity of around 3 GW, which would use demineralised water and is expected to use up to approximately 6 Gigalitres per annum (GLpa) of demineralised water from the desalination plant.
• Hydrogen storage consisting of up to 200 storage vessels, each with a capacity of 680 tonnes.
• Ammonia production plant with up to 2 Mtpa capacity.
• Cryogenic ammonia export pipeline of approximately 1.4 kilometres subsea length.
• Marine export facility, including export vessel mooring and product transfer infrastructure, located in water depth of approximately 20-25 metres, around 1.4 kilometres from shore.

The key Power-to-X (PtX) facilities – electrolysers, ammonia production plant, and associated facilities – would be located around 1 kilometre from the coast.

Project construction phase is estimated at approximately 5.5 years, including the pre-construction phase.

The majority of the onshore Development Envelope is within pastoral lease known as Murchison House Station, which is presently primarily used for grazing purposes. The project proponent has been engaging with the pastoral lessees and the State to progress appropriate tenure for the project.

The project proponent has referred the project to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA, referral action dated 1/03/2022), including supporting documentation.

In December 2021, the Western Australian Government announced the project would receive Lead Agency Services from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

In March 2024, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the LOTTE Chemical Corporation, intended to support collaboration on clean ammonia projects. As part of the agreement, the two companies agree to discuss and finalise agreements for the supply, purchase, and sale of blue ammonia to LOTTE from CIP’s St. Charles Project in Louisiana, U.S., and green ammonia from CIP’s Murchison Project in Australia.

 

Updated: March 2024