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Denham hydrogen power plant breaks ground in an Australian first

Elise Van AkenMidwest Times
Kyle McGinn MLC, Alannah MacTiernan and Horizon Power CEO Stephanie Unwin at the site in Denham.
Camera IconKyle McGinn MLC, Alannah MacTiernan and Horizon Power CEO Stephanie Unwin at the site in Denham. Credit: Supplied

Work has begun on Australia’s first community hydrogen power plant, providing an innovative and renewable alternative to the use of diesel in the Gascoyne town of Denham.

Hydrogen Industry Minister Alannah MacTiernan was on-site last Friday to turn the first sod on the project, which will generate enough renewable hydrogen to power 100 residential properties and help decarbonise the electricity supply chain.

Horizon Power will install a 704kW solar farm, 348kW hydrogen electrolyser and a 100kW fuel cell in Denham, enabling excess renewable energy to be used to produce renewable hydrogen which will be used to power homes as required.

It is the first time in Australia a renewable hydrogen-powered remote microgrid will be used in the community, with Denham chosen because of its proximity to wind and solar resources and land availability.

Investing in renewable hydrogen sends a clear message to the industry that we are serious about Western Australia being powered by clean energy.

- Hydrogen minister Alannah MacTiernan.

The McGowan Government has invested $5.7 million into the project, and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has invested $2.6 million as part of ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program.

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Ms MacTiernan said Government investment in renewable hydrogen would send a clear message to the industry that it was serious about WA being powered by clean energy.

“Western Australia has an extraordinary opportunity to become a leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry and the McGowan Government is on the front foot in taking advantage of this opportunity,” she said.

“The demonstration project in Denham is leading the rollout of hydrogen plants in community-based remote microgrids and has the potential to be implemented across the State to benefit a wide range of small towns and communities.

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