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The superpower hub is set to build green energy infrastructure and
equipment, such as cabling and wind turbines.
(Getty: onurgonel) |
It is expected to make this state a "renewable energy superpower".
The facility has been heralded as a "breakthrough" for Australia's green energy market, with predictions the plant will double green hydrogen production capacity across the globe.
So what actually is green hydrogen? How does it work? And what on Earth is an electrolyser?
Let's go back to basics. Here's a quick breakdown of all your science questions:
How does green hydrogen work?
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Electrolysers split hydrogen from water, producing emission-free
energy. (ABC News) |
Hydrogen is an element that can be found in oceans, rivers, lakes and the atmosphere.
It has long been described as the fuel of the future, the energy source that could bring the world to net-zero emissions.
It's cheap and clean-burning. It's also the universe's most abundant element.
However, on Earth, hydrogen doesn't appear pure in nature and requires energy to separate it.
The most common way to separate it is to extract hydrogen from water, which contains two molecules of hydrogen to every one of oxygen.
That's where electrolysers come in.
So what's an electrolyser?
An electrolyser is the device used to extract hydrogen from water.
This happens when an electrical current is passed through a tank of water, separating hydrogen from oxygen in a process known as electrolysis.
If the electricity is generated from renewable sources, such as solar or wind, the hydrogen emits zero greenhouse gasses and, therefore, has no carbon footprint.
At this stage, it's unclear whether Mr Forrest's company, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), will use solar or wind to renewably power the electrolysers.
So, to recap, green hydrogen is essentially hydrogen made without fossil fuels.
Once that green hydrogen is produced, it can then be burnt to produce heat or fed into a fuel cell to make electricity.
What will this hydrogen manufacturing facility produce?
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Map showing FFI's master plan. (Supplied) |
More importantly, it will manufacture electrolysers.
The facility is destined to be built on Queensland government-owned land near Gladstone in Central Queensland and is the first stage of a six-step, $1 billion-plus operation.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the facility, built by FFI, will double the world's hydrogen capacity.
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An artist's impression of FFI's green energy hydrogen manufacturing
facility in Gladstone in Central Queensland.
(Supplied) |
That renewable hydrogen energy will then be exported from Queensland to countries around the world.
How much will the facility cost? Mr Forrest described the overall operation as a "$1 billion-plus" investment.
The first stage of the six-step project is to build the facility near Gladstone. That will cost about $115 million.
According to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, this major investment also has the potential to create thousands of skilled jobs in regional areas.
Ms Palaszczuk said the plant was initially expected to generate more than 300 local jobs for the Central Queensland region and "thousands of jobs" into the future.
The Palaszczuk government last year announced a $10 million fund towards hydrogen investment, in addition to an earlier $15 million pledge.
Links
- Will 'green hydrogen' live up to the hype, or is it all a load of hot air?
- Fortescue’s Forrest Takes One Small Step In A Nine-Year Hydrogen Moonshot
- Queensland announces plans to use hydrogen to produce green ammonia on industrial scale in Brisbane
- New $1 billion-plus project in Queensland to double world's green hydrogen production capacity
- Forrest commits to $1b hydrogen-equipment factory in Gladstone
- Turnbull and Forrest push “green only” hydrogen, dismiss carbon capture
- Forrest to build massive hydrogen, wind, solar and cabling factory in Queensland
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