Plug Power’s electrolysers to power Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen project

Plug Power has announced that the 50-megawatt Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub in Newcastle, New South Wales, has reached final investment decision, moving the project into execution. The American hydrogen firm’s GenEco Proton Exchange Membrane electrolysers will supply the facility, which is being developed by mining and infrastructure group Orica.

Located next to Orica’s existing ammonia plant on Kooragang Island, the hub will use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis, progressively replacing natural gas in the company’s ammonia production. At full capacity, the site is expected to produce around 4,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen a year, cutting roughly 7.5% of Orica‘s natural gas use at the site, an amount the companies compare to taking about 26,500 cars off Australian roads annually.

The project is the largest renewable hydrogen scheme in Australia to reach FID and the first recipient of the government’s Hydrogen Headstart programme to move into execution. Orica’s Germán Morales said the choice of Plug reflected its track record delivering large-scale PEM systems, while Plug chief executive José Luis Crespo called the milestone a reflection of confidence in the company’s technology and its ability to deliver at scale across the Asia-Pacific region.