FFI and Firstgas have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to produce and distribute green hydrogen across New Zealand. Pic: Getty Images
Energy
Twiggy Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries, the green arm of mining giant Fortescue Metals Group (ASX:FMG), is setting out on a new venture with New Zealand’s largest gas network, Firstgas Group to develop green-hydrogen projects and decarbonise New Zealand’s energy system.
A non-binding Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the two entities to identify opportunities to produce and distribute green hydrogen across New Zealand.
The move comes after Firstgas announced its plans to transition from natural gas to hydrogen, meaning from 2030 it plans to blend hydrogen into the North Island’s natural gas network with conversion to a 100pc hydrogen grid by 2050.
Feasibility studies to assess the technical, commercial, and operational parameters of opportunities will be undertaken by the two companies, potentially leading to the development of projects.
FFI CEO Julie Shuttleworth said green hydrogen and its use in New Zealand will provide energy security, create local jobs and enable decarbonisation of local industry.
Firstgas Group chief executive Paul Goodeve said working with Fortescue marks an important step in its development and scale-up of renewable fuels.
“Integrating green hydrogen into NZ’s current energy mix gives our country the best available balance of energy security, energy equity, system resilience and environmental sustainability,” he said.
Frontier Energy says it making headway on plans to roll out a ‘Hydrogen Highway’ across WA.
Fronted by former Vimy Resources (ASX:VMY) boss Mike Young, FHE is looking to build a hydrogen refuelling station in Perth after placing an order with ENGV who will work with IVYS Inc and PDC Machines Inc in partnership to deliver the project.
It will be the first of its kind in the state and is set for completion by 2023.
In a market announcement this morning, FHE said its first hydrogen refuelling station will be a compact, on-site hydrogen station integrating an electrolyser, compression, storage and dispensing sub-systems to support a fleet of hydrogen vehicles.
The system will be capable of delivering 20 kg/day of green hydrogen at 700 bar pressure for fast-fill refuelling adhering to SAE Protocols.
Fuelling will take under 3 minutes to completely fill up a 5kg tank from empty.
EV1 has signed a strategically significant memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chinese graphite products specialist Yichang Xincheng Graphite Co Ltd for coarse flake offtake and downstream value-addition into high-value products.
YXGC is the leading global producer of high value expandable graphite and graphite foil for the electronics industry, with their products including graphite foil used in mobile phones, tablets and TV screens and they are presently leading the production of graphite foil currently being used in the production of green hydrogen.
For Evolution, the MOU is a platform from which the company can advance its coarse flake dual focus graphite strategy – initially selling flake graphite concentrate from the Chilalo Graphite Project in Tanzania directly to YXGC and establishing a value-accretive downstream manufacturing facility in Europe.
Evolution managing director Phil Hoskins said what really excites the company is this second phase, advancing Evolution’s uniqute strategy to target a diverse set of downstream products.
“The company will set out the planned production and target comments upon commencement of a feasibility study and the finalisation of the JV agreement,” he said.
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