The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub located in New South Wales, Australia, has been given planning permission from the state government. The hub, which is expected to cost $148 million, will use renewable electricity from Australian-based Origin Energy to produce green hydrogen using a 60 MW electrolyzer.
Approximately 80% of the green hydrogen produced by the hub, or 12 mt/d, will be used by Australian mining company Orica at its ammonium nitrate plant on Kooragang Island. Orica has been producing grey ammonia from grey hydrogen at the plant, which makes fertilizers and explosives. Orica expects to reduce CO2 emissions by 52,000 mt/y with the switch to green hydrogen.