Northam set to become home to groundbreaking green hydrogen production system

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Image credit: northam.wa.gov.au

Northam, a town in Western Australia, is set to host one of the region’s first end-to-end green hydrogen production systems aimed at supplying the domestic transport market.

The MEG HP1 Hydrogen project is a collaboration of Infinite Green Energy, Korean Samsung C&T, and Doral Energy Group, with funding from the WA Government’s Investment Attraction Fund of $5 million.

Two five-megawatt (MW) electrolysers, hydrogen storage compression technologies, and general construction will all benefit from funding for the establishment of a hydrogen production ecosystem.

The project’s green hydrogen is intended to provide a reasonably priced, ecologically responsible substitute for other types of transportation fuels, such as diesel, the government said in a media statement.

The facility is anticipated to create roughly four tonnes of hydrogen per day once it is operational, which will be used in heavy transport activities like garbage pickup trucks and return-to-base travel.

The project would make use of an existing 11-megawatt solar farm and start producing hydrogen in late 2024. 

“The $5 million, from the Investment Attraction Fund, will help Infinite Green Energy establish Western Australia’s first renewable green hydrogen production system,” stated Hydrogen Industry Minister Bill Johnston.

The minister said that over 100 jobs are anticipated to be created throughout the MEG HP1 Hydrogen project’s development, commissioning, and continuous maintenance, which will also aid in the decarbonisation of the state’s economy.

“This is an important step to help kickstart the development of an end-user market for locally produced green hydrogen,” he added. 

The Investment Attraction Fund, launched in March 2022 by the WA Government, serves as a catalyst to attract new investments to the state and stimulate local job creation.