Publicly-owned generator joins Gladstone hydrogen consortium

Publicly-owned renewable energy generator CleanCo has signed an agreement to join Sumitomo Corporation and its partners on the development of a hydrogen industry in Gladstone.

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the agreement was another piece in the development of the Queensland renewable hydrogen ecosystem and the decent, secure jobs it is creating for Queenslanders.

“Queensland’s plan for economic recovery from COVID-19 means investing in renewables and hydrogen as well as supporting our resources industry,” Mr de Brenni said.

“As a government we established CleanCo to drive the energy transformation, providing reliable, competitively-priced, low-emission energy to the market and to ensure that Queensland is running on 50 percent renewable energy by 2030.

“This agreement will support that goal with hydrogen set to be a major player in our energy mix, creating jobs and opportunities particularly in regional Queensland.

“With agreements with Fortescue Future Industries to manufacture electrolysers in Gladstone, projects underway in on the Western Downs, a feasibility study into manufacturing renewable ammonia in Brisbane and our continued support for hydrogen in Townsville and other regional centres, this is further proof of Queensland’s hydrogen superiority.

“These are initiatives that will decarbonise Queensland industry and re-industrialise the nation – and that enables more investment and equals more jobs.”

Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Member for Gladstone said the agreement was another vote of confidence in Gladstone’s position as Queensland’s green hydrogen capital.

“This agreement means more jobs in more industries in the Gladstone region directly associated with the hydrogen industry,” Mr Butcher said.

“It will also mean opportunities for Queensland manufacturers to become part of the important supply chain required to grow the green hydrogen industry and keep it running – creating even more jobs.”

CleanCo Chair Jacqui Walters said the Gladstone MOU continues CleanCo’s focus on achieving Queensland’s energy transformation goals, both through competitive renewable energy projects and helping to develop our emergent hydrogen industry.

“In Queensland, we have access to abundant renewable energy sources to support a robust hydrogen industry,” Ms Walters said.

“The plans for Gladstone will support our work in developing all elements of the renewable supply chain right here in Queensland, for Queenslanders.

“Queensland already has the right skills and the technology. Partnerships like this one ensure we are using these to power domestic demand and to drive our global competitiveness."

Consortium partners for the Sumitomo Gladstone project include Sumitomo Australia Pty Ltd, Gladstone Ports Corporation, Gladstone Regional Council, CQUniversity Australia and Australian Gas Infrastructure Group.

Sumitomo Chief Operating Officer David Wilson says they are looking at establishing a hydrogen industry that will support Central Queensland industries to move closer to their decarbonisation goals.

“We welcome CleanCo joining us in this exciting new industry for Queensland as we believe production of commercial scale quantities of hydrogen in Gladstone stands to benefit a number of industries including heavy freight, green chemicals production and mineral processing.

“But we are also looking at the future export possibilities for hydrogen, including to our Asian partners, as the world seeks cleaner energy sources.”

Media contact: Dan Knowles 0432 681 664