THE Pilbara will soon be home to one of Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen plants, with a final investment decision for the Yuri Project announced on Friday 16 September.

French resources company Engie and Yara Pilbara Fertiliser plan to develop the new plant to supply renewable hydrogen and electricity to Yara’s nearby liquid ammonia facility.

Yara’s new facility is expected to be one of the first established operational facilities in the world to receive and use green hydrogen molecules to produce green ammonia.

The Western Australian government said future phases of the project could see an increasing percentage of ammonia being decarbonised.

The intent is for the green ammonia produced at the Pilbara facility to be exported around the world.

Hydrogen Industry Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the announcement that Engie and Yara had reached a positive final investment decision for the Yuri Project was an important milestone for the state’s growing renewable hydrogen industry.

“Yara Pilbara Fertilisers is a world-scale facility, and the project will demonstrate Western Australia’s ability to produce renewable hydrogen on an industrial scale,” she said.

“The Yuri Project is a real example of how renewable hydrogen can be harnessed to reduce the emissions of carbon intensive sectors, and across global economies.”

The project is expected to be one of Australia’s largest electrolysers when completed, capable of producing up to 640 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year.

Nearly two years ago the state government awarded a $2 million grant to the project through its Renewable Hydrogen Fund to build early support for the project.

And just over four months later in May 2021, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency announced it had conditionally approved a $47.5 million grant as part of its Renewable Hydrogen Deployment Funding Round.

Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel said he had been working with Yara for a long time to get the project up and running.

“This is an important milestone for the Yuri project, kick-starting a new renewable hydrogen industry on the Burrup,” he said.

“The McGowan government is committed to diversifying the Pilbara economy and creating local jobs, and this emerging industry will offer a big boost to our region.”

The Yuri project will include a 10-megawatt electrolyser, 18-megawatts of solar photovoltaics, and an 8-megawatt battery storage system.

A consortium comprising Technip Energies and Monford Group has been awarded the engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning contract for the renewable hydrogen plant.

ENGIE has also secured an agreement under which investment company Mitsui & Co has agreed to acquire a 28% stake in the joint venture company for the Yuri Project, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions under the agreement.

Engie and Mitsui intend to operate the Yuri project through this joint venture company.