PERTH (miningweekly.com) – An independent feasibility study into the Cockburn green hydrogen plant, in Western Australia, has proven positive.

The City of Cockburn Council is aiming to develop the Henderson waste recovery park into a renewable energy park through the installation of on-site renewable power and production of green hydrogen. The project aims to economically displace the City of Cockburn’s fossil fuel use with green hydrogen produced on site, driven by the City’s desire to reduce carbon emissions and make use of vacant landfill cell space.

Stage 1 of the project will displace up to 1 410 l/d, or over 500 000 l/y of diesel by replacing the heavy vehicle diesel fuel with green hydrogen. This will have a direct vehicle emissions reduction of 100%, and a lifecycle carbon emissions reduction of over 90%.

The Stage 1 design developed throughout the study features a 1.2 MWac east-west solar field, a fully containerised water treatment plant, and a modular hydrogen production and refuelling plant containing a 1.25 MW electrolyser capable of producing the required 440 kg/d hydrogen production and 1 000 kg hydrogen storage.

The feasibility study estimated that the Stage 1 project would require a capital investment of A$24.5-million, with a net present cost of A$33.3-million and a levelized cost of clean hydrogen (LCOH) of A$21.2/kg. This cost will reduce to A$13.40/kg if half of the funding requirements for the project could be sourced from an external agency, such as the federal government.

The study noted that the target LCOH is between A$7/kg and A$10/kg to compete with current diesel prices for refuse collection vehicles. While the project costs are currently higher than the diesel base case, there are opportunities to further improve project economics in the next phases of the project, the study stated.

The next phases of the project will investigate a range of potential activities to lower the levelised cost of hydrogen to support the project, including funding opportunities with state and federal governments, partnerships with hydrogen and energy companies, as well as partnerships with technology suppliers and with similar heavy-waste vehicle manufacturers or councils.

The engineering work performed as part of the study has confirmed that there are no technical barriers to developing projects of this nature in Australia and that this project presents a fit-for-purpose green hydrogen solution for the City of Cockburn's Henderson Waste Recovery Park.

City of Cockburn was awarded A$149 000 from the state government's Renewable Hydrogen Fund to support the independent feasibility study.

"The government has committed A$160-million to making sure Western Australia reaches its potential and uses its capacity to develop cost-effective renewable hydrogen to decarbonise our economy,” said Western Australia Hydrogen Industry Minister Alannah MacTiernan.

"Cockburn has been an industrial hub for decades, and it's important we look towards the future and better understand its clean energy potential. This report confirms the viability of a green hydrogen plant in Cockburn, and further supports our aim for Western Australia to become a leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry."