New 3.6 GW PV-powered hydrogen project announced in Australia

Austrom Hydrogen, a newcomer to the Australian renewable energy scene, has unveiled plans to develop a large solar project, battery storage system, and hydrogen generation facility in Queensland.

Australian renewables producer Austrom Hydrogen has secured land near the Port of Gladstone, Queensland, for an ambitious project that could feature a 3.6 GW solar-powered hydrogen facility. The project, Pacific Solar Hydrogen, will join the growing group of gigawatt-scale green hydrogen project announcements across Australia.

Pacific Solar Hydrogen – planned for the North Callide region, 70 km from Gladstone – has begun initial environmental impact studies and irradiance monitoring. The developers are currently liaising with key industry stakeholders to streamline the development process.

The company said its key strategic decision was to “place priority on securing enough suitable land to be able to generate enough in-house solar power and battery support to supply all the energy necessary for the large-scale hydrogen facility”. While this marks an important milestone, the next, even bigger step is to secure finance and offtake deals.

Image: John Lloyd, flickr