Meridian picks Woodside for NZ green hydrogen project

Meridian Energy has selected Australia’s Woodside as the preferred partner of the proposed Southern Green Hydrogen project in New Zealand, the companies said on November 29 in a joint statement.

Japan’s Mitsui & Co. is also in discussions to join the project and develop the potential market for ammonia offtake, with the aim of creating a collaboration that covers the full hydrogen and ammonia supply chain, the companies said.

Subject to finalising commercial arrangements, Meridian, Woodside, and Mitsui will work towards starting front-end engineering design for the project. A final investment decision will follow the development stage.

The selection of Woodside followed a competitive process, during which local communities were closely involved, the companies said.

The proposed project is targeting to produce 500,000 metric tons/year of ammonia utilising electrolysis from renewable power. The project originally consisted of Meridian and Contact Energy, which has made the decision to no longer continue into the next phase of the project as a development partner but has indicated an interest in continuing to support the project as a potential electricity supplier.