‘Super majors’ in running for State Government’s green, reneweable hydrogen dream at Oakajee in WA’s Mid West

Global energy groups have answered the State Government’s call to look over a plan to develop an export-based renewable hydrogen industry at Oakajee, north of Geraldton. The Government today confirmed the strong interest in the proposal, revealing it had received 65 expressions of interest from companies from Australia, Japan, Korea, India, Germany, Spain, UK, France and the US looking at possible participation. Some 10 of the companies, it said, were energy “super majors”, a term usually applied to global giants such as Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil. The Government said nearly a dozen of the interested companies were looking at “developing and financing an entire supply chain that encompasses Oakajee as a strategic hub for the production and export of renewable hydrogen”. “Other parties expressed interest in supplying sections of the supply chain including technology, key water and power utilities, manufacturing key components or financing this emerging industry,” it said. The expressions of interest will be evaluated by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation working closely with the Mid West Development Commission, Mid West Ports Authority and DevelopmentWA,which owns the Oakajee site. The Government says Oakajee, 23km north of Geraldton, has an abundance of wind and sunshine, making it ideal for the production of renewable hydrogen for domestic and commercial use, advanced manufacturing and export. Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the expressions of interest process “confirmed what we already knew about the strong global appetite for renewable hydrogen, and the enormous potential of the Mid West region”. “Global economies are hungry for clean, renewable energy, and we have the perfect mix of wind and solar potential that is the envy of the world right here in WA.”