The South Australian Hydrogen Jobs Plan’s (HJP) initiative to construct a hydrogen hub has secured development approval from state and federal agencies.
Subject to conditions, the Office of Hydrogen Power SA (OHPSA) and its contracted partners ATCO Australia, BOC and Epic Energy will deliver the 200MW Whyalla hydrogen-fuelled power plant, 250MW of electrolysers, 200MW of power generation and a storage pipeline for up to 100 tonnes of green hydrogen.
The development approval will provide insights into the planning and preparation of the facility, including its location, site design and how potential environmental impacts will be eliminated or reduced.
The site works for the HJP, which has been backed with over $402m, are expected to begin in late 2024, with the power plant anticipated to be complete by 2026.
ATCO and BOC, who entered the consortium last October (2023), will supply the end-to-end solutions such as the 250MW electrolysers, the hydrogen-powered GE Vernova turbines, and the on-site storage.
Read more:ATCO and BOC to develop large-scale hydrogen project in Australia
H2 View understands that the electrolysers will be powered by solar and wind energy generated during the day, whilst the power plant will be fuelled by renewable hydrogen.
Additionally, the government has commissioned Adelaide-based ElectraNet to connect the HJP to the South Australian grid, with plans to own, operate and maintain two greenfield 275kW substations and up to 9km of transmission line.
Tom Koutsantonis, Member of the South Australian House of Assembly, said, “The approval of the HJP development application shows that not only are we delivering a world-leading renewable hydrogen facility in the Upper Spencer Gulf, but we are doing so in a manner that is safe and minimises any negative impact on the local environment and Whyalla community.”
Koutsantonis added, “The release of these work packages is a major step forward for the HJP, demonstrating how close we are to commencing construction on this ground-breaking facility.”
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