Forecast looking good for Oakajee hydrogen hub

A renewable hydrogen hub at Oakajee is a step closer, with initial data recordings of wind and solar conditions at the industrial estate north of Geraldton confirming it as an ideal location.

While recordings will continue for a full 12-month period to determine seasonal variability, average monthly wind speed and solar irradiance recorded between mid-January and mid-April showed favourable conditions to facilitate green hydrogen production.

“Both wind and solar results for this three-month period were above the established averages for the area published by reputable wind and solar agencies,” WA Hydrogen Minister Alannah MacTiernan said.

Engineering consultant ARUP, with Fulcrum3D, has recorded site-specific wind and solar resource data at Oakajee since January.

With a 6400ha footprint, the McGowan Government believes Oakajee has the capacity to support an extensive hub for the production of renewable hydrogen for domestic and commercial use, manufacturing and export.

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There is strong interest in the proposal, which has seen 65 expressions of interest from companies from Australia, Japan, Korea, India, Germany, Spain, the UK, France and the US looking at possible participation.

Independent power infrastructure expert Rod Littlejohn said the Oakajee renewable hydrogen project would make the Mid West an “energy powerhouse” in the long term, create export opportunities, and solve energy challenges.

“Short-term, it is a step too far to pin all your hopes on Oakajee,” he said.

“Think of Apollo when Kennedy said ‘we will put a man on the Moon’.

“Oakajee is ‘putting a man on the Moon’.”

Mr Littlejohn said just as the earlier US Mercury and Gemini space programs had solved problems of escaping Earth’s atmosphere and keeping people alive in space, smaller renewable hydrogen programs were needed before Oakajee.

“Narngulu has all the infrastructure; it is ideal to develop the small-scale facility where you practise developing hydrogen for export,” he said.

“When you have solved all the issues, you power up to develop Oakajee.”

Mr Littlejohn said Oakajee was the “perfect place” for large-scale hydrogen export because it was close to Asian markets.

A renewable hydrogen hub at Oakajee is also expected to make a new industrial park viable.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said there would soon be a need for more large industrial blocks at Oakajee as Strike Energy seemed likely to take the last remaining one at Narngulu.

“The future of Oakajee is still some time off but positive results such as those bode well for the development of the site in a reasonable time frame,” he said.

“The future of Oakajee is more about being an industrial park than necessarily a port.”

“It also provides additional energy security having additional generation assets located in the Mid West.”