Idemitsu Australia (IA), as part of a consortium with the Queensland Government owned energy company CS Energy, and led by Energy Estate, will begin a joint study on the feasibility of generating and exporting green ammonia from the Port of Abbot Point near Bowen known as HyNQ: North Queensland Clean Energy Project.
The HyNQ: North Queensland Clean Energy Project, initiated by Energy Estate in 2020, was created to develop a global-scale green ammonia facility utilising the strong natural resources of North Queensland.
The joint study will review the technical, environmental and commercial feasibility of manufacturing and exporting 500 thousand tonnes per annum of green ammonia. The HyNQ project aims to complete pre-FEED activities in the second half of 2023, with the hydrogen and ammonia production to start in 2027/2028.
Through the study, Idemitsu which is represented in the consortium by its subsidiary Idemitsu Renewable Developments Australia, will continue to strengthen its expertise in building a future CO2-free ammonia supply chain and for supplying low-carbon energy.
Idemitsu Australia Chief Executive Officer Steve Kovac said, “We are excited to partner with Energy Estate and other consortium members to examine the feasibility of manufacturing and exporting green hydrogen and ammonia.”
“The study is a critical step to supply low-carbon energy solutions and forms part of the HyNQ project to build infrastructure to support green industries and deliver a pathway for green hydrogen and ammonia production. This is another major opportunity for North Queensland as we continue to build low-carbon and decarbonisation businesses and pave the way for Australia’s energy transition.
“Idemitsu Australia brings deep expertise in exporting to Japan and South East Asia to help develop a strong supply chain for green ammonia to these export markets. The project has the potential to achieve the scale necessary to be globally competitive,” he said.
Queensland Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Minister Mick de Brenni said that Queensland’s clean energy transformation was the state’s greatest jobs opportunity in a generation.
“Our Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan provides the key ingredients to becoming a global hydrogen superpower and sets us up to play a leading role in helping the world achieve its decarbonisation ambitions” Minister de Brenni said.
“This is another vote of confidence from our trading partners following the release of our first-of-its-kind in Australia report highlighting Queensland’s capacity to produce and export renewable hydrogen.
“From our hydrogen superhighway and hydrogen training facilities to electrolyser manufacturing and export capabilities, we’re setting Queensland’s economy up to power the world’s future,” he said.
