Andrew Forrest says the new hydrogen electrolyser construction plant in Gladstone will double the world’s capacity of the green-energy source.Credit:Trevor Collens
Hydrogen,which emits only water when burned,has been fast firming as a major front in the global race to decarbonise economies and reduce the impact of climate change.
In its so-called “green” form – as opposed to the fossil-fuel-powered processing most of the current end product results from – electrolysis powered by renewable energy splits water molecules to produce the hydrogen gas without any emissions.
The Gladstone plant,to be built by Mr Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries on land developed by the state government about 20 kilometres west of Gladstone – pending planning approvals – is expected to start producing an initial capacity of up to two gigawatts worth of electrolysers annually from 2023.
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Speaking with Ms Palaszczuk and a number of her other senior cabinet ministers from Gladstone’s port,Mr Forrest said the facility would double the world’s current capacity but was only the beginning of what is needed moving forward – both in terms of global emissions reductions and Fortescue’s shift from iron ore into renewables.
“The world will move on from fossil fuel. You can all have your own opinion as to when that happens,but what I promise you is that we will not allow the world to keep on cooking,” he said.
The initial plant is expected to deliver 120 construction jobs and 53 in operations,with hundreds more under a further five stages that are expected to expand the manufacturing of electrolysers and move into producing other renewable energy parts.