Hydrogen deal for battery chemicals plant

Queensland Pacific Metals plans to draw green hydrogen from Edify Energy to help power its Townsville battery chemicals plant under a new Memorandum of Understanding between the companies. QPM's Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) and Edify’s planned green hydrogen production facility are both set to be developed within the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct. Related: Bid for hydrogen grants to kickstart growth “Our working relationship with Edify is a demonstration of two Australian companies working together tobuild business relationships using sustainable practises," QPM managing director Dr Stephen Grocott said. 'Any opportunity we have to enhance the green credentials of the TECH Project is something we must consider and evaluate and the use of hydrogen is just another one of these opportunities. "The opportunity to work with a leading, sustainable energy producer such as Edify is a bonus and a delight.” Edify Energy last week signed an MoU with Port of Townsville to work together to advance Edify’s renewable hydrogen export project - joining proponents lining up to export renewable hydrogen through the city including Origin Energy and Korea Zinc's Ark Energy Corporation. It follows Edify’s recent development approval for an electrolyser of up to 1GW for 5,000 – 150,000 H2 tonnes per year of renewable hydrogen at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, 46km south of Townsville. QPM plans to process 1.5 million tonnes of ore annually at TECH to produce nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate and high-purity alumina- all in demand in the emerging electric-vehicle battery manufacturing market. Related: Edify Energy in hydrogen export MoU The project is expected to create about 800 construction jobs and its operational phase would create an estimated 1700 jobs, including 300 highly-skilled advanced manufacturing jobs at the facility and 1400 jobs in support industries. The deal under the MoU will supplement QPM’s gas supply - which it plans draw from Bowen Basin coal mines, using gas which would otherwise be flared or directly emitted to the atmosphere to give it a 'carbon negative' energy strategy. It gives Edify a baseload customer to underpin the development of the hydrogen plant. Edify will also produce oxygen as a by-product which can be used by QPM in the acid regeneration part of its flowsheet and its waste water can be utilised by QPM in its processing plant. Under the terms of the MOU, Edify will supply and QPM will purchase:• 100,000 gigajoules equivalent per annum of pure, green hydrogen gas;• 4.2 x 106 normal cubic metres of oxygen gas; and• Up to 4,000kL of waste water. “The synergistic relationship we have with QPM is a prime example of how a decarbonised and advanced manufacturing ecosystem can be realised," Edify Energy chief executive John Cole said. "We think it creates a blueprint locally and more broadly across the region. "The green credentials ambition of the TECH project is admirable, and a sign of the zero emissions supply chain model that all exporters will need to transition towards. "Edify is very pleased to be working closely with QPM and to be able to offer carbon free energy and industrial process inputs creating a circular economy at our co-located operations.”

Hydrogen deal for battery chemicals plant

Industry Queensland

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