This report documents the market context within which the Project has been developed and details the findings and insights from its design, development and procurement.
Report extract
Key outcomes achieved so far include:
- Design and engineering efforts prioritised safety, regulatory compliance, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure, addressing key factors such as pressure regulation, storage configuration, burner design, advanced controls, and simulated full-scale operation modes.
- Equipment selection focused on operational flexibility, safety, and adherence to Australian standards, with a modular PEM electrolyser and pressure-stable hydrogen storage system tailored for batch trial operations.
- Operational plans utilise daytime electrolyser use for lower energy costs, schedule hydrogen trials every 1–2 weeks, and include rigorous commissioning, operator training, and safety protocols meeting Rio Tinto and Queensland requirements.
- Environmental assessments show each 2-hour hydrogen trial abates CO2 emissions, totalling about 2,500 tonnes over the demonstration, with potential for over 1 million tonnes annually at full scale; NOx emissions are monitored and mitigated, and site environmental risks are actively managed.
- The project has completed safety and regulatory reviews, with all system modifications certified under Queensland’s Petroleum and Gas Act, and appropriate environmental permits obtained; safety systems and operator training ensure safe hydrogen handling and emergency response.
- After reviewing alternative low-carbon technologies, the hydrogen-based calcination approach was deemed most commercially viable, marking a significant step towards clean combustion in alumina refining and progress in Australia’s hydrogen economy.
