Origin Energy has been awarded $70 million in funding from the Federal Government to help support the progression of the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub (HVHH), which aims to provide scaled green hydrogen.
The funding was announced by Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen during a visit to Newcastle. The HVHH, which is being assessed in collaboration with Orica, is an Australian-based multinational explosives company that aims to support a reliable and commercial scale green hydrogen supply chain in the Newcastle industrial and port precinct.
The intention of the HVHH is for hydrogen to be generated using recycled water and grid-connected electricity, supported by the surrender of large-scale renewable certificates.
The first stage of the potential HVHH consists of a 55MW electrolyser, which is expected to produce up to 5,500t of green hydrogen per year.
Origin decided that the industrial area of Kooragang Island was an ideal location for the HVHH given its access to large energy users, skilled workers, and existing energy infrastructure.
Origin CEO Frank Calabria said, “We are pleased to receive Federal Government funding to support our continued work on the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, one of the leading green hydrogen projects under consideration.
“Working in collaboration with Orica, we have continued to build expertise in different aspects of the hydrogen value chain needed to support successful development of the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub. We believe hydrogen has the potential to be a new industry for Australia that could contribute to a cleaner future for manufacturing, transport, and heavy industry.”
The HVHH is currently progressing through front-end engineering design (FEED), which will help inform the final technical and commercial details of the development. Planning is also underway to progress the required environmental approvals.
Pending a final investment decision, Origin will target first hydrogen production from 2026.
