Western Australia could become renewable hydrogen hub for European demand

The Port of Rotterdam and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Power Programs ISE are working with Australian companions to research alternatives for Western Australia to change into a world-class producer, consumer and exporter of renewable hydrogen. Western Australia might present for a considerable portion of the European demand for hydrogen in 2050.

The TrHyHub Examine, a collaboration between key stakeholders in Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands, analyzed the vital parts that would ship a provide chain from the Mid West Hydrogen Hub in Oakajee to Germany by way of the Port of Rotterdam.

Within the brief time period, ammonia is the best option, with substantial value financial savings to be anticipated sooner or later.

With its strategic positioning and renewable power capabilities, the Mid West Hydrogen Hub, which is centered across the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Space (SIA) and proposed Port, stands as a key hub for renewable business development in Western Australia. Oakajee has additionally been recognized as a possible location for a serious deepwater port.

The TrHyHub Examine analyzed the technical design, location, and feasibility of ammonia export infrastructure located within the Oakajee port. A geographic data system evaluation by Fraunhofer ISE revealed that the land inside a 350-kilometer radius of the Oakajee SIA has important potential for large-scale renewable electrical energy era.

The realm theoretically permits for a most energy output of 10,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) from photo voltaic expertise, and 5,700 TWh from onshore wind power. If absolutely developed, this interprets to a theoretical hydrogen manufacturing of 185 million tons each year (Mtpa) from photo voltaic and 105 Mtpa from wind energy.

Hydrogen manufacturing of this scale would offer for a considerable portion of the European demand for hydrogen in 2050. The deliberate renewable ammonia manufacturing capability might attain over 15 Mtpa, equal to the present European ammonia manufacturing.

Vital potential for value discount

Of their work package deal, researchers from Fraunhofer ISE investigated the provision chain and the related particular technological options that ought to allow the export of inexperienced hydrogen. They modeled the manufacturing of renewable hydrogen and derivatives and the transport of the derivatives, together with technique of transport, transportation costs and time.

“Our techno-economic analysis of an ammonia supply chain to Germany confirmed that the cost component related to the long distance does not constitute a significant cost factor, accounting for only 9% of the total cost of production and delivery. The higher shipping cost is offset by the significant solar and wind resources which lead to significantly lower costs of production and storage,” explains examine creator Marius Holst from Fraunhofer ISE.

To additional cut back the price of the ammonia provide chain, extra analysis is required on the operation window of ammonia. Fraunhofer ISE is engaged on new ammonia synthesis processes that can cut back the price of renewable ammonia. The institute additionally works on optimization and course of growth to supply fuels, chemical compounds and energy sources in addition to on new applied sciences for the direct use of ammonia.

The workforce additionally investigated the export of liquid hydrogen and methanol to Germany. Each merchandise face technical and financial obstacles to export, similar to a scarcity of commercially obtainable transport vessels for hydrogen and the necessity for important upscaling of manufacturing crops to cut back prices. “The market ramp-up is the decisive factor in reducing costs, so we need to get into large-scale production quickly now,” explains Robert Szolak, head of division at Fraunhofer ISE.

Germany as a serious offtake market

Following the European Fee’s REPowerEU plan launched in 2022, the European Union set a goal of importing as much as 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030 to exchange fossil fuels in all sectors throughout Europe.

With a nationwide consumption of hydrogen of roughly 1.6 mtpa throughout numerous manufacturing industries, 90% of which is at the moment fossil-sourced, Germany’s Nationwide Hydrogen Technique introduced its goal to shift these sectors, together with metal manufacturing and elements of the transportation sector, to renewable hydrogen. With restricted manufacturing capacities for renewable hydrogen, Germany might want to import a lot of the required portions.

The TrHyHub examine discovered that renewable ammonia as probably the most prevalent hydrogen service within the brief time period may very well be imported by the Port of Rotterdam. Rotterdam is well-suited due to its intensive logistics connections to probably the most promising offtake areas in Germany, notably North Rhine-Westfalia and Ludwigshafen.

In September 2024, Australia and Germany signed a historic deal to advance their cooperation in new inexperienced hydrogen provide chains by a funding window to ensure European patrons for Australia’s renewable hydrogen producers. The Joint Declaration of Intent to barter the €400 million deal, equally funded by the governments of each nations, will type a part of Germany’s H2 International public sale mechanism.

Supplied by Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Power Programs ISE