Green projects look for green approvals

An offshore wind farm near Harvey and a green hydrogen pilot at Yara Pilbara have both taken steps toward environmental approval in recent days.

Public submissions through the Environmental Protection Authority for the Engine and Yara Pilbara green hydrogen pilot project will open today.

The pilot plant will be a commercial demonstration of green hydrogen production, with 18 megawatts of generation capacity and a 10 megawatt electrolyser.

It will be colocated with the company’s existing ammonia and technical ammonium nitrates plants on the Burrup Peninsula.

Ammonia could potentially be a long term method for carrying energy from renewable hydrogen, because it can be liquefied and compressed at a temperature similar to LNG.

The plan previously received a $2 million state government grant, and will be in the mix for Australian Renewable Energy Agency funding, likely to be announced later this month.

Last week, the WA Offshore Windfarm project was opened for public comment.

That proposal would construct 300 megawatts of wind power offshore, about 20 kilometres north of Bunbury.

There would be 37 turbines off the coast, and the project would connect into the state’s south western grid.

The proponent, WA Offshore Windfarm, is 100 per cent owned by UK-based Australis Energy.

Directors of WA Offshore include David Gaudoin, Andrew Hindle and Fraser McMillan, all based in the United Kingdom.

The company claims it will cost about $1 billion.

Australis is also planning offshore wind farms in Victoria and South Australia.

The environmental documents were referred by consultancy Arup.