(Madrid, Spain / Brisbane, Australia) – The Spanish project developer Acciona Energía is to supply a planned large-scale electrolysis plant in Queensland, Australia, with solar power from the future “Aldoga” power plant. The company has announced that it has entered into a corresponding agreement with the state-owned Stanwell Corporation.
A consortium led by Stanwell is currently conducting a feasibility study for the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project (CQH2). The Japanese companies Iwatani Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kansai Electric Power and Marubeni Corporation as well as the Australian group APT Management Services are involved. CQH2 is a planned 3.000 megawatt electrolysis complex, the output of which will support the decarbonization of the industry in Central Queensland and will also partly be exported. The plant is expected to deliver around 2026 tons of hydrogen per day by 100. When completed by 2031, it will be 900 tons. 
Acciona has also entered into an agreement with the Queensland Government to lease additional unused coastal land. The “Aldoga” photovoltaic system was announced in 2019 with an installed capacity of 250 megawatts. According to the latest developments, an expansion to up to 600 megawatts is now planned. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022 near Gladstone (Queensland). Acciona estimates the investment to be 500 million Australian dollars (311 million euros) and the construction time to be 18 months. The development will take place in several stages, with the first construction phase being completed at 315 megawatts.
Hydrogen projects also in Europe
Acciona Energía is also involved in hydrogen projects in Europe. By the end of 2021, the first industrial plant for the production of green hydrogen in Spain is scheduled to go into operation in Mallorca and produce more than 300 tons per year (we reported). The electricity comes from two photovoltaic power plants with an output of 8,59 and 6,5 megawatts. In addition to Acciona, the “Power to Green Hydrogen Mallorca” (P2GH2M) consortium, led by the Spanish natural gas transmission system operator Enagás, also includes the Mexican cement manufacturer CEMEX and the IDAE institute (Instituto para la Diversificación y Ahorro de la.), which reports to the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Change Energía) involved.
The plant is the core of the overarching “Green Hysland” project to promote a green hydrogen ecosystem on Mallorca, which is intended to serve as an example for other islands and is co-financed by the European Commission as part of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).
The income from P2GH2M is used, among other things, to refuel buses and rental cars that run on fuel cells. A hydrogen filling station will be built specifically for this purpose. In addition, the gas will one day be used to generate heat and electricity for commercial and public buildings and as an additional energy source for ferries and port operations.
Acciona Energía also founded a joint venture with the US group Plug Power (“AccionaPlug”) to jointly explore the green hydrogen market on the Iberian Peninsula.
Photos
Acciona is building a 600 megawatt solar power plant in Australia. © Acciona Energia
Location of Gladstone, Queensland. © Acciona Energia
