Construction has commenced on the government-backed 10-MW Hydrogen Park Murray Valley plant in Wodonga, Victoria, as announced by the local ministry for climate change and energy. The AUD 65.4 million (USD 43.9 million/EUR 40.1 million) project, spearheaded by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), aims to produce 500 tonnes of hydrogen annually for injection into the local gas network, with blends of up to 10%. The hydrogen produced may also be utilized at transport refuelling stations in the future.
The project's electrolyser, provided by LONGi Group, will feature eight times the capacity of the largest electrolyser currently operating in Australia. It will utilize recycled water from North East Water's Wodonga Wastewater Treatment Plant to support its operations.
Chris Bowen, the minister for climate change and energy, stated that producing renewable hydrogen at this scale is unprecedented in Australia, highlighting the project's role in scaling up green hydrogen production. The Hydrogen Park Murray Valley project has received substantial financial backing from the state, including AUD 36.1 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, AUD 12.3 million from the Victorian Government, and AUD 3.22 million from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation through the Advancing Hydrogen Fund.
Josh Wilson, the assistant minister for climate change and energy, emphasized the Albanese Labor Government's commitment to making Australia a renewable energy superpower, citing the AUD 4 billion Hydrogen Headstart program and a AUD 2 per kilogram hydrogen production tax incentive aimed at accelerating the development of Australia's renewable hydrogen industry.
