Global energy consultancy Xodus has been allocated land in the Mid-West region of Western Australia to underpin the development of a commercial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia project.
Located in the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area (SIA), this allocation from the Government of Western Australia paves the way for Xodus and its partners to progress the project, formerly known as Project MercurHy, under the Warradarge Energy banner.
First announced in 2022, the project will be executed in two primary phases, initially focusing on domestic hydrogen supply to decarbonise the mining and heavy transport sectors.
There is an ambition to scale the development further into an ammonia export project located at the Oakajee SIA.
The initial phase is well advanced, with over 16,000 hectares of land secured at Warradarge, power supply agreements with an existing wind farm under negotiation and offtake partners onboard.
The project also benefits from a competitively priced, behind-the-meter renewable power supply, high plant utilisation and a high comparative market price.
Simon Allison (pictured), vice president of Asia Pacific at Xodus and strategic advisory board member at Warradarge Energy, said: “This is a major step forward, not just for Warradarge Energy, but also in Australia’s quest to be one of the world’s dominant clean hydrogen players.
“Xodus has played a central role in the technical and commercial development of the project, overseeing feasibility, concept design, approvals and the integration of renewable energy sources.
“We have worked hand in glove with the Warradarge Energy team, as well as industry partners and landowners to ensure we are delivering a development underpinned by a robust and scalable hydrogen supply chain.”
Australia has an ambition to be a global hydrogen leader, and the market is currently valued at over $225 billion, with more green hydrogen projects under development in the country than anywhere else.
Warradarge Energy chief executive Stephen Archer said: “Scalable, high-quality renewable energy projects like ours are needed to bridge the gap between today’s demonstration sized facilities and the gigawatt-scale hydrogen developments of the future.
“This project is about accelerating the supply chain, minimising technology risks, and driving down costs. It’s an exciting venture that we’ve built from the ground up, bringing in the right partners to achieve collective success.
“With our expertise, we’re actively designing and delivering the low-carbon, economically viable projects that Australia and the world need now more than ever.”