The South Australian Government has received 60 proposals from organisations across the world vying to showcase their capabilities and ideas for the $593 million Hydrogen Jobs Plan.
The State Government’s market sounding process, calling for proposals from industry on the technical, system and commercial project approaches for the hydrogen facility has closed.
The submissions, which will help shape final design and implementation, came from global operators with experience in developing green hydrogen infrastructure in other jurisdictions, large scale renewable energy developers, companies with links to local industry and local workforces, along with organisations that partner with universities for research, training, and development.
The recently established Office of Hydrogen Power SA (OHPSA) will use these submissions to inform the future procurement processes and final site selection for the project.
The design and construction of this pioneering project will help accelerate South Australia’s green hydrogen industry, unlock the development of a $20 billion pipeline of renewable energy projects and catalyse the creation of new jobs in the supply chain industries.
It will see the construction of a hydrogen power station, electrolyser and storage facility within the Whyalla City Council. It targets the construction of:
- 250 MWe of electrolysers
- 200 MW of power generation (powered by the electrolysers)
- Hydrogen storage for 3,600 tonnes of hydrogen, or the equivalent of two months of hydrogen consumption for power generation.
Once built, the operation of the electrolysers during the middle of the day will provide additional grid stability, by ‘soaking up’ the state’s abundant renewable energy generated from large-scale wind and solar farms.
This additional demand on the electricity network will minimise the need for household solar panels to be switched off by energy providers during periods of excess renewable energy production.
Hydrogen Power South Australia will offer ‘firming services’ to renewable generation facilities (such as wind and solar farms) located in South Australia, using a contract structure that will ensure the reduced firming costs are passed onto South Australian energy users.
The $593 million hydrogen facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
The next step will be to identify the concepts with potential to reap the greatest benefit to the South Australian burgeoning green hydrogen industry – and continue the work to make it happen as the state head towards net zero carbon emissions.
For more information visit: www.energymining.sa.gov.au/industry/modern-energy/hydrogen-in-south-australia
