Funding will be provided under the WA Government’s Investment Attraction Fund (IAF) to progress a proposed industrial-scale facility which will research, test and demonstrate decarbonisation technology solutions for the energy industry.
The Kwinana Energy Transformation Hub (KETH) will comprise hydrogen and gas decarbonisation facilities as a platform for the advancement of key technologies to support the energy transition.
It will be a first-of-a-kind facility providing an open-access, multi-user environment for demonstrating technologies at industrially relevant scale, as well as certification of equipment and training for process operators.
KETH CEO Simona Chady said the state funding is a vital milestone for the project as it advances to its Final Investment Decision (FID).
“The need for a facility like the KETH is being driven by demand from governments, organisations and stakeholders who all want to see the successful decarbonisation of our vital energy sector and also accelerate the development of industrial-scale clean hydrogen technologies,” Ms Chady said.
“This grant will provide us with the momentum needed to take a Final Investment Decision (FID) on Phase 1 which will include hydrogen, training, and R&D facilities. With this milestone, the project will be one of the first operational facilities in Kwinana, WA. Over 50 separate research projects are planned for KETH and it will also play a crucial role training the workforce needed for tomorrow’s energy system”.
Ms Chady said the KETH can play a significant role advancing decarbonisation strategies for the broader Kwinana industrial estate and other WA industries as well as advancing the development of new skills and jobs.
“The KETH will contribute to positioning WA as a global leader in clean energy by accelerating commercial-scale hydrogen and also decarbonising the sector through advanced technology development,” she said.
The KETH is the flagship project of the Future Energy Exports Cooperative Research Centre (FEnEx CRC).
FEnEx CRC CEO Professor Eric May said: “Seeing the KETH project reach this milestone is an excellent outcome for our CRC and its mission to actually demonstrate industrial-scale technologies that can decarbonise LNG exports and lower the cost of clean hydrogen production.”
“A lot of work has gone into achieving this milestone. The educational and research benefits that the KETH will bring to this state will ensure it is and remains a focal point of knowledge leadership central to the energy transition.”
