Infinite Green Energy (IGE) CEO Stephen Gauld was delighted to speak on Day 1 of the World Energy Cities Partnership Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Thanks to the City of Perth for hosting this fantastic opportunity and to The West Australian‘s Ben Harvey for facilitating the discussion panel.

The Hon. Bill Johnston MLA opened proceedings with a discussion on the importance of renewable energy in WA’s future. S&P Global Asia-Pacific Chief Economist Rajiv Biswas echoed Minister Johnston’s views and highlighted the important role that hydrogen could play in WA’s economic outlook as we transition away from fossil fuels.

Stephen was proud to share the role that IGE could play in the path toward net zero and provided an update on our projects at Arrowsmith and Northam.

Stephen also joined Tianqi Lithium CEO Raj Surendran, Pacific Energy CEO Owen Lock, the Minerals Research Institute of WA’s Nicole Roocke, and Copenhagen Energy’s Joy Francis-Hayes in a panel discussion focused on the differing roles that hydrogen, wind, and commodities like lithium could play in facilitating global decarbonisation pathways.

Infinite Green Energy (IGE) COO Yolanda Zhao had an incredible time at the Australia China Business Council (ACBC) Canberra Networking Day – ACBC’s signature event, which brings together Australian and Chinese businesses and government. This year’s ACBC Networking Day focused on the net zero transition, innovation, and the digital economy.

With a diverse array of leaders including executives from ANZ, government officials – including Senator the Hon. Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry – and Professor Yun Liu from The Australian National University, the Networking Day was a valuable platform for discussions on Australia-China business collaboration and the role that renewable hydrogen could play.

Yolanda was delighted to showcase IGE’s renewable hydrogen projects at Arrowsmith and Northam, which sparked significant interest amongst ACBC members. Yolanda also participated in a thought-provoking site visit to ANU’s Sustainable Energy Conversion Lab. Professor Liu showcased the University’s innovative hydrogen storage technology – liquid organic hydrogen – which is slated for refuelling stations in the ACT.
 
From an IGE perspective, the Networking Day highlighted the need to provide educational opportunities to China about Australia’s hydrogen market. China possesses unparalleled hydrogen technology but has a limited understanding of Australia’s hydrogen market.

IGE is looking forward to collaborating with ACBC and The Australian Government to support opportunities that bridge this gap. Thanks to ACBC President James Clarke (柯雅各) for the fantastic experience and we look forward to participating again at the 2024 Networking Day.

Keeping connections and making new ones is so important in emerging industries like renewable hydrogen, so it was fantastic to see our COO Yolanda Zhao attend last week’s Australia China Business Council National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations at Government House WA.

Infinite Green Energy’s (IGE) relationships with China will be critical as the global market for renewable hydrogen grows in China, as well as other Asian markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, which will be key export markets as we accelerate our growth.

• Infinite Green Energy to receive a $5 million grant from the WA Government to progress the MEG HP1 Hydrogen Project in Northam, Western Australia.
• Funding was provided to Infinite Green Energy through the WA Government’s $148.4 million Investment Attraction Fund (IAF).
• Infinite Green Energy has signed a Financial Assistance Agreement with the Cook Government for $5 million in grant funding.

IGE is developing and constructing WA’s first renewable hydrogen production system, in partnership with Samsung C&T and Doral Energy Group (DEG).

The Project will incorporate renewable hydrogen production, distribution, and provision to consumers through Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS).

The Project – using electricity generated by the Northam Solar PV Farm and supplemented by the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) – is expected to produce up to 4 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per day.

IGE is expanding the solar generated by the Farm from 11MW to 24MW, with 15MW of new wind to be installed in line with the Project’s development.

The grant is allocated by the WA Government through the $148.4m Investment Attraction Fund (IAF), which seeks to encourage new industries and support economic development and diversification within the State.

The IAF is designed to encourage investment, generate local opportunities, increase the demand for local goods and services, and secure trade in new sectors, and with new markets.

Comments attributed to Hon. Bill Johnston, Minister for Hydrogen Industry:
“The $5 million, from the Investment Attraction Fund, will help Infinite Green Energy establish Western Australia’s first renewable hydrogen production system.

“This is an important step to help kickstart the development of an end-user market for locally produced renewable hydrogen.

“The construction, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance of the project is expected to create over 100 jobs and help decarbonise the State’s economy,” said Minister Johnston.

IGE CEO Stephen Gauld said he welcomed the WA Government’s support via the IAF.

“This grant will support the development and construction of the MEG HP1 Hydrogen Project and will help IGE to make a meaningful contribution to the transition to a net zero economy in WA.

“The funds will also help to create WA’s first network of hydrogen refueling stations, with plans for stations in Northam, Perth Airport, and other regional areas,” said Mr Gauld.

IGE is anticipating a Final Investment Decision (FID) for the MEG HP1 Hydrogen Project in 2023 with the first hydrogen expected in late Q1 2025.

Israeli renewable energy company Doral Energy Group (TLV:DORL) has become a strategic partner in the 10-MW MEG HP1 green hydrogen production project in Western Australia, it said last week.

The joint development agreement was signed with Australian green hydrogen producer Infinite Green Energy (IGE) and South Korea’s Samsung C&T Corp (KRX:028260), which in February teamed up to work on the scheme. With Doral on board, the partners will seek to take a final investment decision (FID) during the current year. The front-end engineering and design (FEED) has already been completed.

MEG HP1 envisages the installation of an electrolyser with battery storage near Northam, about 100 km northwest of Perth, to produce up to four tonnes of green hydrogen daily. The process will be powered by the 11-MW Northam solar park, which Infinite Green acquired last year.

First hydrogen from the proposed facility is expected to be produced late in the first quarter of 2025, with most of the output to be used in heavy transport via a loading terminal for local trucks. A portion of the production will be supplied to waste management companies for back-to-base refuse collection vehicles.

Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) are already in place for the off-take and binding contracts are being negotiated.

Read the full article here.
Credit: Veselina Petrova

Western Australian clean energy developer Infinite Green Energy has welcomed Israeli renewables giant Doral Group as an equity partner to develop and build a commercial-scale green hydrogen project that will leverage the existing 11 MW Northam Solar Farm east of Perth.

Perth-based Infinite Green Energy (IGE), which earlier this year revealed it would partner with South Korean industrial major Samsung C&T to jointly develop and build the MEG HP1 green hydrogen plant, announced Doral has come on board as the final partner in the project being developed near the Western Australian wheat belt town of Northam.

The MEG HP1 project aims to build on the existing 11 MW Northam Solar Farm with the addition of a 10 MW hydrogen electrolyser and battery energy storage. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce up to four tonnes of green hydrogen per day for the medium and heavy transport industry.

The developers have confirmed that the scope is there to expand the solar facility to 18 MW, potentially doubling the site’s production capacity to eight tonnes of green hydrogen daily with the first production expected in early 2025.

The joint development agreement sees Doral – which says it has a portfolio of more than 500 renewable projects in operation worldwide with a pipeline totalling more than 18 GW – take a stake of undisclosed size for an undisclosed sum in the MEG HP1 project.

IGE Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gauld said the agreement underlines the potential of the development and will allow it to progress the Northam project to the final investment decision (FID).

“Partnering with a global renewable energy partner such as Doral Group will continue to build the confidence of our shareholders, strategic partners, and buyers of our future fuel,” he said.

An artist’s render of the proposed MEG HP1 green hydrogen project
Source: Infinite Green Energy

Gauld said the joint development agreement outlines the strategic partnership between IGE, Doral, and Samsung C&T, including the key terms, advancing detailed design, and the milestones to successfully achieve an FID.

The front-end engineering and design (FEED) has already been completed for the project and a final investment decision is expected before the end of 2023 with the first green hydrogen supply expected in the first quarter of 2025 following the commissioning of the project.

The project will focus on domestic hydrogen consumers with the project to include a loading terminal for trucks to supply local operations.

IGE said it already has offtake agreements in place and binding contracts under negotiation, with some of the site’s output to be used by waste management companies for back-to-base refuse collection and fleet vehicles.

The MEG HP1 is the most advanced of IGE’s projects with the company also progressing the Arrowsmith Hydrogen Project, which it says will produce up to 25 tonnes of green hydrogen daily.

Read the full article here.
Credit: David Carroll

• Doral Energy Group confirmed as the final partner in the development and construction of the MEG HP1 Hydrogen Project in Northam, Western Australia
• The Project is expected to produce up to 4 tonnes per day of green hydrogen for the medium and heavy transport industry
• The Project is expected to supply its first green hydrogen in late Q1 2025

Infinite Green Energy (IGE) and Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group (Samsung C&T) are pleased to welcome Doral Energy Group (DEG) as the final partner in the development and construction of the MEG HP1 Hydrogen Project in Northam, Western Australia (WA).

This joint development agreement outlines the strategic partnership between IGE, DEG, and Samsung C&T, including the key terms, advancing detailed design, and the milestones to successfully achieve a Final Investment Decision (FID).

Further demonstrating the momentum behind the Project, this announcement follows the announcement on 20 February 2023 that Samsung C&T and IGE had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the Arrowsmith Project in WA.

Leveraging the Northam Solar Farm – with the addition of a 10MW hydrogen electrolyser, Compression, and a truck loading terminal – the Project is expected to produce up to 4 tonnes per day of green hydrogen for the medium and heavy transport industry.

The Project is expected to be part of WA’s transition to a net zero economy. With the first green hydrogen production expected in early 2025, the Project is aiming to be one of the first in WA to deliver commercial-scale green hydrogen.

The Project will also include a loading terminal for trucks to supply local operations, which will enable IGE to contribute to the development of the Zero Emissions Highway.

With offtake MOUs in place and binding contracts under negotiation, it is expected that green hydrogen produced by the Project will be partially consumed by WA-based waste management companies for use in back-to-base refuse collection and fleet vehicles proximate to the Project.

Green hydrogen is expected to be the most cost-competitive low-carbon solution for medium and heavy-duty transport.

It is anticipated that the Project will enable WA to become a leader in the use of green hydrogen in transport, consistent with the objectives of the WA Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Strategy.

The Project has completed front-end engineering and design (FEED).

The Project is anticipating an FID in 2023 with the first green hydrogen supply expected in late Q1 2025 following the commissioning of the Project.

IGE CEO, Stephen Gauld, was thrilled to announce the partnership with Doral Energy Group, “Partnering with a global renewable energy partner such as Doral Group will continue to build the confidence of our shareholders, strategic partners, and buyers of our future fuel”.

“Doral Group and Samsung have already committed resources from their offices in South Korea, Dubai, Israel, and Australia to deliver this strategic project,” said Mr Gauld.

“The partnership highlights IGE’s commitment to not only fight climate change but to also see the WA economy and our local communities benefit from the green energy transition.”

Samsung C&T Vice President, Andrew Ahn says participation in this project aligns strongly with the values and vision of Samsung C&T. “We are committed to fast-tracking the energy transition, creating opportunities for people and businesses. Production of green hydrogen is a key component of that story.”

Doral Hydrogen Ltd Managing Director, Yam Efrati says “I am excited to join MEG HP1 in Australia, one of the most promising and largest markets for renewable energy in the world, especially for green hydrogen production. The strategic partnership with IGE and Samsung C&T is just in the beginning and will enable Doral Hydrogen to expand the activity worldwide in order to be a major player in the world energy transition”.