Infinite Blue Energy (IBE) has recently made an announcement to deliver a renewable hydrogen plant in the Western Australian town of Northam, making it home to Australia's first large-scale green hydrogen plant designed to eliminate heavy transport emissions.
IBE has announced the acquisition of the Northam Solar Farm (Northam) from current owners Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) and Bookitja Pty Ltd as trustee of the Ngangk Trust, progressing the facility to be known as MEG HP1.
IBE will produce up to 4 tonnes of zero-emissions green hydrogen per day by leveraging the existing 11MW solar farm, along with a 10MW hydrogen electrolyser and battery storage. The Northam facility is already connected to the South West Interconnected System (SWIS), securing additional land for potential expansion.
A truck-offload terminal will also be included in the project, which will enable the supply of local "back-to-base" operations and the refuelling station planned for the Perth Airport West Precinct with Hydrogen West.
This presents IBE with many opportunities, as hydrogen is expected to be the most cost-competitive, low-carbon solution for medium and heavy-duty transport. Aligning with the Renewable Hydrogen Strategy by the Western Australian Government, MEG HP1 will allow Western Australia to adopt a leadership position when utilising hydrogen in transport.
Peter Coleman, IBE Chairman, described the early Northam production system as a "game-changing" project for IBE. It will lead the way for the Company's Arrowsmith project, aiming to produce ~25 tonnes a day for the mobility sector. As markets develop and export prospects are pursued, this also presents an opportunity to increase production up to ~125 tonnes a day.
CEO of IBE, Stephen Gauld expressed the Company's excitement in taking a leadership role in the production of green hydrogen in Western Australia, "supported by a clear pathway to supply green hydrogen for use in the transport sector".
With the McGowan Government committing $160 million to support renewable hydrogen development in Western Australia, Hydrogen Industry Minister, Alannah MacTiernan says:
"We see enormous potential for locally-generated renewable hydrogen to replace diesel in our heavy transport sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and improving our fuel security.
Indeed transport fuel probably offers one of the earliest opportunities for the emerging renewable hydrogen industry. Infinite Blue Energy’s MEG HP1 project is yet another positive step forward for renewable hydrogen in WA, and will play an important role in helping to stimulate early demand for hydrogen.”
Infinite Blue Energy Pty Limited
Infinite Blue Energy Pty Ltd is an Australian-based renewable energy company with a vision to become Australia’s 1st commercial green hydrogen producer.
Green hydrogen is a future renewable energy source with the CSIRO estimating the size of the green hydrogen economy in Australia to be $10B by 2040. The Company is facilitating Australia’s first, and one of the world’s largest, commercial-scale green hydrogen projects - Arrowsmith Plant based in WA.
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