Orica and Origin announce hydrogen hub partnership

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Orica and Origin will conduct a feasibility study into the viability of a green hydrogen production facility, or ‘Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub’, and downstream value chain opportunities.

The feasibility study will assess ways that an industrial hydrogen hub could enable use cases that support a meaningful green hydrogen industry in the Hunter Valley and beyond. This includes the supply of hydrogen for heavy industry and transport, conversion into green ammonia at Orica’s existing Kooragang Island manufacturing facility, blending hydrogen into natural gas pipelines, and the potential to stimulate Australia’s hydrogen export industry.

Green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using renewable electricity sources, has emerged as a potentially significant enabler of Australia’s transition to a lower-carbon economy. The proposed hub would produce green hydrogen from recycled water sources and renewable electricity, using a grid-connected 55 MW electrolyser.

The partnership brings together two leading organisations in the local energy and chemical sectors. Both organisations are committed to leveraging an existing portfolio of renewable generation assets, accessible land, infrastructure including ammonia manufacturing, storage and distribution facilities, and teams with extensive operational and commercial capabilities.

The project marks an important step in transitioning Orica’s business model towards a lower-carbon economy. Exploring opportunities to diversify, Orica is committed to ensuring its Kooragang Island facility remains competitive in a lower-carbon economy, while creating more sustainable products for customers and broader applications for industry.

The project builds on several initiatives to enhance the long-term sustainability of the site, including the recently announced Kooragang Island Decarbonisation Project and planned installation of an Australian first tertiary catalyst abatement technology for decarbonisation of nitric acid production. The US$37 million project is designed to deliver up to 95% abatement efficiency from unabated levels, reducing the site’s total greenhouse gas emissions by almost 50%.

Other initiatives designed to improve the sites sustainability performance include the reduction of emissions from the prill tower of over 99%, and switching the manufacturing facility to recycled water, an initiative that saves the Hunter region up to 2.9 billion l of drinking water a year. In 2020, the site also completed a comprehensive program of works to improve the way ammonia is managed, including the installation of three ammonia flaring systems onsite.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/28022022/orica-and-origin-announce-hydrogen-hub-partnership/