AGL

Australian energy giant AGL will team up with Fortescue Future Industries to explore the feasibility of industrial-scale production of renewable hydrogen & ammonia in the Hunter Valley near Newcastle, Australia. AGL’s existing Liddell power station is due to close next year and begin conversion into the Hunter Energy Hub, with grid-scale batteries, wind & solar generation, clean industry and hydrogen & ammonia production to replace the coal-fired facility. Origin Energy, Orica, Incitec Pivot Limited and Keppel Infrastructure are already exploring similar plans in the area, based on existing ammonia production plants at Kooragang Island near Newcastle.

R&D for ammonia-powered locomotives is full steam ahead in Perth, as Fortescue Future Industries moves onto converting two four-stroke, diesel locomotives to run on ammonia fuel. Deployment of an ammonia-powered demonstration locomotive within their current rail operations is planned for later this year. In other FFI news this week, a technical feasibility study has given the thumbs up for FFI to convert Incitec Pivot's existing Gibson Island ammonia production plant to a green ammonia facility, and a new agreement between Australian energy giant AGL and FFI will see the pair turn the current Liddell and Bayswater coal power stations into a huge green hydrogen hub near Newcastle, NSW.