Australia’s first power plant — capable of running on both hydrogen and natural gas — will be built in NSW, following an agreement between the private sector and both state and federal governments. The gas power plant could begin using green hydrogen as early as 2025 Energy Australia plans to buy 200,000kg of green hydrogen a year — equivalent to five per cent of the plant’s fuel use.
Australia in the News – A new benchmark
- Energy Australia will offer to buy 200,000 kg of green hydrogen per year from 2025 which is equivalent to five per cent of the plant’s fuel use.
- The use of hydrogen is predicted to negate direct operational carbon emissions from the project over the course of its lifetime.
- “This project sets a new benchmark for how gas generators can be consistent with NSW’s plan to be net zero by 2050 by using green hydrogen and offsetting residual emissions,” said the state’s Energy Minister Matt Kean said.
- “The gas project has received a funding commitment of up to $78 million from the NSW Berejiklian Government. The Morrison Government will also provide $5 million to make the project hydrogen-ready,”
- Federal government set to build taxpayer-funded gas-fired power plant in Hunter region of NSW
- The plant is expected to be built at the site of the former Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter near Newcastle
- The new station would be built by Snowy Hydro and have the capacity to generate 750MW of “on-demand” electricity.
- Energy Australia subsequently proposed a 350MW gas peaking station in the Illawarra and AGL put forward a similar-sized project near Newcastle
