PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has called for public comment on the H2-Hub Gladstone proposal to develop a A$4.7-billion green hydrogen and green ammonia production and export facility at Yarwun, near Gladstone.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the government was facilitating investment to create good, secure jobs in traditional and emerging industries like hydrogen.

“This is an exciting project for Central Queensland and for the state’s future as an emerging hydrogen superpower. Queensland’s Coordinator-General has now released draft terms of reference for the H2-Hub Gladstone project’s environmental impact statement.

“This means Queenslanders can now comment on what will be considered during the project’s assessment.”

“I announced in April that the project had been declared a coordinated project and that Hydrogen Utility (H2U) and Orica had made a strategic partnership agreement to initiate the project’s first phase. This is another step forward.”

H2U is proposing a two-stage development to create a major new industrial hub in the Gladstone State Development Area with export infrastructure at Fisherman’s Landing Wharf, Port of Gladstone.

The H2-Hub Gladstone project has a planned capacity of up to 3 GW of electrolysis and up to 5 000 t/d of green ammonia production. It is expected the proposed facility will use 100% renewable energy from new-build solar and wind resources in the Queensland region.

H2U estimated the project would create over 550 jobs during construction, with up to 350 jobs during the peak construction phase, and 140 ongoing operational jobs.

Subject to approvals, H2U proposes to begin Stage 1 construction in 2023 with production commencing towards the end of 2025.

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the H2U facility was expected to use 100% renewable energy from new-build solar and wind resources in the Queensland region.

“Projects like this help to propel Queensland towards becoming a clean energy powerhouse,” De Brenni said.

“Throughout the state, we are seeing enormous activity because Queensland could have as much as 40% of Australia’s hydrogen production by 2040. Domestic projects are being worked on from the tip of Cape York to the New South Wales border and our east coast ports such as Townsville, Hay Point and Brisbane are all under active investigation by private sector proponents.”