Plug selected for flagship renewable hydrogen development
Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ:PLUG) has been awarded a contract to supply a 50-megawatt electrolyzer system for the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub (HVHH) in Newcastle, New South Wales, following the project’s final investment decision (FID), the company announced.
The hydrogen hub is being developed by Orica, the global mining and infrastructure solutions group, and will be built alongside the company’s existing ammonia production facility on Kooragang Island.
Powered by renewable electricity, the project will generate hydrogen through electrolysis, allowing Orica to gradually replace natural gas used in the manufacture of ammonia and ammonium nitrate.
Project aims to reduce natural gas consumption
Once fully operational, the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is expected to produce around 4,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually.
The facility is projected to replace approximately 7.5% of the natural gas currently consumed at Orica’s manufacturing site.
HVHH is the largest renewable hydrogen project in Australia to reach a final investment decision and is also the first initiative supported under Australia’s Hydrogen Headstart programme to move into the construction and execution phase.
The programme, administered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has allocated AU$432 million in production credits to support the project.
Plug to supply GenEco PEM electrolyzers
Plug Power will provide its GenEco Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer technology for the development.
“Being selected as the electrolyzer OEM for the country’s largest renewable hydrogen project to reach FID, and the first Hydrogen Headstart project to move into the execution phase, reflects the confidence our customers place in Plug’s technology,” said José Luis Crespo, Plug’s CEO.
Orica Group President for AusPac and Sustainability, Germán Morales, said Plug’s “proven track record in delivering large-scale PEM systems” played an important role in the company’s selection.
Expanding global hydrogen footprint
Plug said it has deployed more than 320MW of GenEco electrolyzer capacity across six continents, including previous installations in Townsville and Chinchilla in Queensland, Australia.
The latest contract further strengthens the company’s presence in the global renewable hydrogen sector as large-scale clean energy projects continue to advance.