PRL Media/news, page-2331

The major Japanese gas buyer backing an ambitious $US10.75 billion ($15 billion) green hydrogen project in the Northern Territory desert has been revealed as Osaka Gas, supplier to one of Japan’s largest cities.Aqua Aerem, the proponent of the 10 gigawatt Desert Bloom Hydrogen project, said the joint development agreement with the giant gas company would push it to the front of the line to begin production in Australia’s crowded renewable hydrogen field.Desert Bloom Hydrogen will combine a large solar farm in central Australia with novel, modular 2MW hydrogen producing units capable of extracting water from the atmosphere to create green hydrogen, heat, and power, meaning there will be no need to deplete riverine water sources or aquifers.It aims for initial production of about 2500 kg/day, rising to about 35,000 kg/day from the $600 million first phase, before moving to a second, export-oriented stage involving up to 410,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year. Production cost is said to be less than $US2 per kilogram, close to the federal government’s $2/kg target for hydrogen.