Stakeholders commit to $87.1M WA hydrogen plant

The Federal Government will invest $47.5 million toward the development of a new 10MW hydrogen electrolyser for the proposed Yuri hydrogen plant in Karratha, Western Australia, after stakeholders reached a final investment decision in favour of progressing the project.

Developed by ENGIE, the new plant will supply renewable hydrogen and electricity to Yara Pilbara Fertiliser’s nearby liquid ammonia facility.

ENGIE Renewables Australia and MIT Hydrogen Australia are working together on the venture, referred to as Yuri, to build and operate the electrolyser, as well as solar and battery storage at the Karratha site.

Yara’s facility will be one of the first established operational facilities in the world to receive and use green hydrogen molecules to produce green ammonia.

The Yuri Project will include a 10MW electrolyser, 18MW of solar photovoltaics, and an 8MW battery storage system.

Capable of producing up to 640 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year, the electrolyser promises to be Australia’s largest, boasting a capacity nearly 90 per cent greater than the current titleholder; a 1.25MW hydrogen plant operating in Adelaide’s Tonsley Park, South Australia.

A consortium of Technip Energies and Monford Group has been awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract for the renewable hydrogen plant.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will contribute more than half of the $87.1 million needed to develop the Yuri facility through its Renewable Hydrogen Deployment Funding Round, announced May 2021.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said hydrogen is a crucial part of Australia’s energy future.

“The Federal Government is committed to boosting the level of renewables and is thrilled to announce further progress on this electrolyser, which will be among the largest in the country,” Mr Bowen said.

“This will help advance Australia towards becoming a world leader in hydrogen generation.

“As we move to a more renewable economy, hydrogen will become an increasingly important part of our energy mix, and will be important in supporting industrial and hard to abate sectors.”

Western Australian Hydrogen Industry Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, welcomed the final investment decision from ENGIE and Yara Pilbara Fertilisers for the Yuri Project.

“This is an important milestone for WA’s growing renewable hydrogen industry,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“Yara Pilbara Fertilisers is a world-scale facility, and the project will demonstrate WA’s ability to produce renewable hydrogen on an industrial scale.

“The State Government provided early critical support for this project with a $2 million grant awarded two years ago. This support helped the project attract further funding.”

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