Stanwell, a key player in the Australian energy sector, has recently finalized a significant 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Acciona Energia. The agreement entails the purchase of the entire energy output generated by the Aldoga Solar Farm, a project situated approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Gladstone, Australia.
With construction of the Aldoga Solar Farm, an AUD 500 million ($313.9 million) initiative already in the pipeline, the project is poised to commence in the forthcoming months. Importantly, it holds the potential for expansion, with existing approvals to augment its capacity to 600 MWp. According to Acciona, the construction is projected to conclude before the end of 2025.
The energy sourced from this solar farm will be directed towards powering the Central Queensland Hydrogen Hub (CQ-H2), a notable endeavor under development in proximity to the solar project.
Stanwell, as part of a consortium comprising Australian and Japanese energy companies, is actively engaged in the development of the CQ-H2 project. This initiative, in its initial phase, aims to install up to 640 MW of electrolyzers with the purpose of producing green hydrogen for both domestic consumption and export, starting from 2028. Subsequently, the project envisions a substantial scale-up to exceed 3 GW of electrolysis capacity.
Michael O'Rourke, CEO of Stanwell, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Stanwell has set out an ambitious strategy for what we will achieve as a business between now and 2035, and a key component of our strategy is to drive the development of Queensland's hydrogen industry.” He added, “Our agreement with Acciona to secure the output of the Aldoga Solar Farm is a key milestone for us, as the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project undertakes its front end engineering design (FEED) study and progresses to the final investment decision.”
