Fortescue starts works at hydrogen-fuelled green metal project

Energy and metals company Fortescue has announced the start of works at its green metal project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The US$50 million project, located at the Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek, is expected to produce more than 1,500 tonnes per annum of green metal, with first production anticipated in 2025.

The plant will use green hydrogen produced at Fortescue’s gaseous and liquid hydrogen facility, together with an electric smelting furnace to produce the green metal.

Fortescue executive chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, was joined by Fortescue Metals chief executive officer, Dino Otranto, for a ceremony to mark the start of civil works at the Christmas Creek site.

Fortescue executive chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO commented in a statement: “Iron and steel are the backbone of our infrastructure, however, traditional iron and steel production processes are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By rethinking the entire iron and steel value chain we can produce an entirely new, green industry here in Australia.

“Today’s milestone is the culmination of bringing together green sustainable mining, large-scale renewable power and green hydrogen to produce green metal. Right now, we have a once in a generation opportunity to build a green supply chain, and Fortescue is wasting no time to seize it.”

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Fortescue’s recently commissioned green hydrogen plant can produce around 530 kilogrammes of hydrogen gas per day, or around 195 tonnes annually. Powered partly by solar during the day, the plant comprises a gaseous hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) to refuel a fleet of 10 fuel cell electric vehicle hydrogen-powered coaches.

The Green Energy Hub also contains a hydrogen liquefaction facility, liquid hydrogen storage, and a liquid-hydrogen refueling station, along with Fortescue’s zero emissions decarbonisation prototypes.

Dino Otranto added: “Fortescue is moving at rapid speed to decarbonise and the completion of our hydrogen facility, which is the largest gaseous and liquid hydrogen plant on any mine site in Australia, is testament to our commitment to leading heavy industry in decarbonising.”

“Hydrogen and fuels made using renewable energy will have a role to play in decarbonising mining, whether it’s in buses, heavy mining equipment such as haul trucks and excavators, or producing green iron.

“This renewable hydrogen plant is versatile, enabling us to produce gaseous and liquid hydrogen to be used to power our mining equipment prototypes, while also providing the added benefit of refuelling our fleet of coaches at Christmas Creek.”

The liquid hydrogen plant will be used to power Fortescue’s Offboard Power Unit and its hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype which recently arrived at Christmas Creek.

The Green Energy Hub also hosts Fortescue’s prototype battery-electric haul truck and a 3MW fast charger prototype.