Inpex, AGL to work on NSW hydrogen hub

Japan’s Inpex has signed a memorandum of understanding with Australian energy provider AGL Energy to conduct a feasibility study for the latter’s Hunter Energy Hub in the state of New South Wales (NSW), it said on August 9.

Hunter Energy Hub is the second hydrogen hub study that Inpex is pursuing with AGL, following the partnership on the Torrens Hydrogen Hub in South Australia announced in June. The Hunter Energy Hub project mainly envisages hydrogen production from renewable energy sources and the export of hydrogen and hydrogen-derived products. Inpex will study the feasibility of the hub in cooperation with AGL and other partners.

Hunter Energy Hub seeks to introduce a hydrogen industry to the Hunter region of NSW by utilising the site of the AGL-owned Liddell power station as well as existing infrastructure located in its vicinity. The Port of Newcastle has been identified as a potential offloading location, raising possibilities for the hub to facilitate hydrogen exports to Japan and other countries in the future, given Newcastle’s relative proximity to key markets, Inpex said.