BP has announced plans to start a feasibility study into a green hydrogen production facility in Australia.
BP Australia says that the export-scale facility would be powered by around 1.5 GW of on-site or grid-sourced renewable energy and located in Geraldton, Western Australia.
The feasibility study will help BP to “better understand the possibilities of using hydrogen to export renewable energy at scale”. It will involve an initial investment from bp of A$2.7 million, with a further A$1.7 million being funded by Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of its Advancing Renewables Programme.
BP Australia will be supported by GHD Advisory to deliver the study, while Lightsource BP will advise on the generation solution.
The potential pilot plant will look to produce green hydrogen, using onsite and/or grid-sourced renewable power. This will then be converted into around 20 kilo-tonnes per annum (ktpa) of green ammonia. Once developed to commercial scale, this is expected to increase to around 1000 ktpa of green ammonia, targeted at domestic and export markets.
The feasibility?study?will deliver a detailed techno-economic?evaluation of pilot and commercial scale green ammonia production plants in Geraldton. This will include an evaluation of the different technologies and process configurations required to manufacture green hydrogen and green ammonia.
Frédéric Baudry, BP chief operating officer for Asia Pacific, said: “Western Australia is the study location due, in part, to its vast solar and wind resources, existing port infrastructure and proximity to large, long-term markets for green hydrogen. The study further demonstrates BP’s long-standing investment and commitment to the region. I would like to thank the Australian government for their support for this important project and the development of advanced fuels in Australia.”
The study support’s BP’s ambition to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner and to help the world get to net zero, BP said.
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