Gladstone strengthens title as hydrogen heavyweight

• Construction starts on new state-of-the-art hydrogen information centre at CQU
• Publicly owned Stanwell Corporation also boosts partnership with CQU - funding Professorial Chair of Hydrogen
• Gladstone is already identified as a Hydrogen Hub of national significance and today’s announcements bolster its hydrogen credentials
• Around half of Queensland’s hydrogen projects earmarked are for Central Queensland

A state-of-the-art community information centre will be established in Gladstone to coordinate hydrogen industry events and build awareness of a clean energy sector that’s fast-shaping up to be a major local employer.

The Gladstone region is currently home-base for around half of Queensland’s 50-plus registered hydrogen projects all eyeing a slice of a forecast $33 billion behemoth which, by 2040, is expected to support thousands of skilled jobs.

CQUniversity and the Miles Government are partnering to develop and operate the community information centre which will provide immersive experiences to educate and connect members of the community with the hydrogen industry.

Located on the Gladstone Marina Campus and designed to welcome young and old, the Centre will be a hub for information about the production and uses of renewable hydrogen.

Community members will have the chance to learn more about the state’s projects including the more than 20 projects that are under development throughout Central Queensland.

The Centre will generate research projects planned to support a broader community understanding of the opportunities of the hydrogen industry in Queensland, and will enhance community awareness of the emerging hydrogen industry and boost community confidence in hydrogen as a clean, reliable and affordable energy supply.

The initiative is funded by matched funding from the Queensland and Australian Governments as part of the Stanwell-led Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub.

Stanwell and CQU also announced the deepening of their partnership, with Stanwell funding the establishment of a Professorial Chair of Hydrogen at CQUniversity and the appointment of Professor Jonathan Love as the inaugural Stanwell Professorial Chair.

In his role as the Stanwell Professorial Chair of Hydrogen at CQUniversity, Professor Love will focus on applied research that supports Stanwell's strategic vision of advancing the hydrogen industry in Queensland.

Gladstone’s future as a renewable hydrogen powerhouse was reaffirmed late last year when the Australian Government committed funding to develop the Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub in partnership with the Queensland Government.

Quotes attributable to Minister Mick de Brenni:

“Gladstone is known around the world as the engine room of Australia, and now it’s fast building a reputation as a renewable hydrogen heavyweight too.

“The Miles Government, through renewable industries including hydrogen in Gladstone, is protecting and creating good jobs for locals, and boosting the local economy.

“These clean energy jobs are all at risk under an LNP Government, who do not support renewable energy and will only seek to keep to coal burning for longer.

“The Miles Government will always support good jobs and a strong economy for regional Queensland.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher MP:

“It’s been known for sometime that the Gladstone region is leading the nation in renewable hydrogen investment and innovation.

“The new Central Queensland Hydrogen Community Information Centre at CQ University will bring even more focus to the industry-leading work being undertaken here.

“What this means for Gladstone is more industry, more supply chain opportunities and thousands more jobs.

“While we’re investing in the future of renewable energy in Queensland, the LNP are more focused on privatizing energy assets.”

Quotes attributable to Paul Hodgson, Director of CQUniversity’s Centre for Hydrogen and Renewable Energy:

“The $2 million Central Queensland Hydrogen Community Information Centre is being funded by the Queensland and Commonwealth governments through the Hydrogen Hub initiative and will be operated in collaboration with CQUniversity.

“The focus will be on building community awareness of the safe and sustainable production of hydrogen and its uses both domestically and offshore.

“Though the Information Centre we will also help to showcase the exciting potential of hydrogen and renewable energy when it comes to Gladstone’s ongoing regional and economic development, and the growth opportunities in education, training and job creation.

“CQUniversity looks forward to working with industry, government and community stakeholders to help improve understanding of hydrogen production and usage and to realise the potential benefits for Gladstone and the wider Central Queensland region.

Quotes attributable to Michael O’Rourke, Chief Executive Officer of Stanwell Corporation:

“Stanwell is committed to driving the development of Queensland’s hydrogen industry and we are delighted to deepen our partnership with CQU by funding the establishment of the Stanwell Professorial Chair of Hydrogen role at CQU.

“Renewable hydrogen can help achieve several objectives for Central Queensland, Australia, and our trading partners including domestic decarbonisation, economic transition, and new clean energy export markets for Australia.

“In his role, Professor Love will focus on applied research that supports advancing the hydrogen industry in Queensland, including our flagship project, the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project (CQ-H2).

Further information:

Central Queensland Hydrogen Project

Stanwell is leading the Central Queensland Hydrogen (CQ-H2) Project, a partnership between publicly owned energy company Stanwell, Iwatani Corporation, Marubeni Corporation and Keppel Infrastructure.

Currently one of the top 10 hydrogen projects of its type in the world, CQ-H2 is a global-scale project that involves the development of hydrogen production facility, hydrogen gas pipeline and hydrogen liquefaction facility, as well as supply of hydrogen to an ammonia production facility. Production will be powered by renewable energy from Queensland’s sunshine and wind, including energy generated at ACCIONA Energia’s Aldoga Solar Farm adjacent to CQ-H2.

At its peak, CQ-H2 has the potential to support some 3,100 jobs with $8.9b added to Gross Regional Product. Commencing with 200 tonnes per day, the project will scale up to produce 800 tonnes per day of renewable hydrogen – the equivalent to fuelling more than double Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

The Australian and Queensland governments have committed $35 million to progressing the CQ-H2 front end engineering design study, with a further $82 million from consortium partners. CQ-H2 is uniquely placed to achieve several objectives for Queensland, Australia, and Asian trading partners. This includes domestic decarbonisation of key industries, economic transformation for Central Queensland, and creating new markets for Australia through clean energy exports. At its peak, CQ-H2 has the potential to support some 3,100 jobs and top $14.5 billion in hydrogen exports over its 30-year lifespan. At ultimate scale CQ-H2 will produce 800 tonnes per day of renewable hydrogen.

You can learn more here: Central Queensland Hydrogen Project – HyResource

Sumitomo Green Hydrogen Production and Rio Tinto Decarbonisation Pilot Project:

The $111.3 million Sumitomo and Rio Tinto partnership is a Gladstone-based large-scale project which aims to replace natural gas with hydrogen for calcination at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery. This pilot would involve Sumitomo operating a 2.5MW electrolyser on-site at Rio Tinto’s refinery, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 3000 tonnes annually.

Through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, this project has received over $37.6 million in Australian Government funding to build a project that will demonstrate the production of hydrogen and operation of hydrogen fuelled calcination for process heating at the Yarwun alumina refinery at Gladstone. On completion of commissioning activities, Sumitomo Corporation would supply 125 tonnes per annum of hydrogen to Rio Tinto’s onsite hydrogen storage for use in its modified calciner. The trial is expected to produce the equivalent of about 6,000 tonnes of alumina per year while reducing Yarwun’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 tonnes per year. The hydrogen plant and modified calciner are scheduled to begin operations in 2025 with the pilot plant trial to be completed in 2028.

You can learn more here: Sumitomo Green Hydrogen Production and Rio Tinto Decarbonisation Pilot Project – HyResource

You can learn more about the massive potential Queensland’s hydrogen industry here: Hydrogen | Department of Energy and Climate

LINK TO RENDERS:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j7kR6xP3vuoPs5p754V-jLYyf-XZ4M3D?usp=sharing

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