HYDROGEN PROJECT A HUGE WIN FOR OUR CITY

THERE was massive news for Townsville’s economy and jobs market yesterday with one of Australia’s largest energy players announcing big plans.

Origin energy is set to develop a major liquid hydrogen export facility in Townsville.

The company is collaborating with Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries and has already completed a successful feasibility study for a 300MW 36,000 tonne per annum export and domestic supply plant.

The move is set to catapult Townsville to be the leader in the new energy source.

The city will house Australia’s largest proposed hydrogen plants producing enough energy to power a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle for 3.6bn kilometres each year.

What’s even better is the fuel is environmentally friendly.

Replacing diesel it will save 720,000 tonnes of CO2 going into the atmosphere each year.

Origin Energy general manager future fuels Felicity Underhill said hydrogen would be one of the key fuels in helping the world decarbonise

“It is incredibly versatile and can be used to decarbonise transport, industry and power generation, and in many cases existing plants can be adapted to use it,” Ms Underhill said.

“This project is one of the largest and most advanced hydrogen projects in Australia with a 300 megawatt electrolyser and the potential to scale up,” she said.

But why Townsville?

Well, mainly because it doesn’t rain here.

The abundance of zero-emissions solar and renewable energy is setting us up for success.

Also our proximity to export markets in Asia.

The only thing Origin didn’t talk about was the cost.

Research on other similar but smaller projects had the build at about $150m, but those plants are about a quarter of the size of this one.

It’s a massive investment in our region that’s good for jobs and the environment.