BP and its solar joint venture Lightsource BP are exploring a potential green hydrogen plant in Australia powered by 1.5 gigawatts of wind and solar.
The oil major announced on Friday that a feasibility study was underway for a huge green hydrogen operation. The green hydrogen would be converted into "green ammonia" and exported internationally.
A pilot phase would produce 20 kilotons annually (ktpa), with the full-scale commercial operation producing 1,000 ktpa of green ammonia. BP estimates the commercial venture would require 1.5 gigawatts of power.
BP says it will invest AUD $2.7 million (USD $1.75 million) into the study, with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency chipping in anotherAUD $1.7 million.
Ammonia is cheaper to store than hydrogen, and given its widespread use in fertilizers, it already has a large supply chain in place.
“We believe that green hydrogen will play an increasingly important role, not only as a new...clean energy vector but also in enabling the further growth of renewable power,” Dev Sanyal, executive VP of BP’s gas and low-carbon energy business, said in a statement. “This aligns with BP’s ambition to support the world’s decarbonization agenda.”
In February BP announced a target of net-zero by 2050 and said it would release more details in September. CEO Bernard Looney has repeatedly stressed the company’s intention to stick to that agenda in the face of a price collapse and the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on demand for energy.
Read on to be overwhelmed by the excitement of Australia's HUGE HYDROGEN ENERGY REVOLUTION.
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/lightsource-bp-exploring-1.5gw-of-power-for-green-hydrogen-site#:~:text=Lightsource%20BP%20Explores%20Green%20Hydrogen%20Site%20Powered%20by%201.5GW,a%20potential%20ammonia%20export%20business.&text=Bundling%20wind%20and%20solar%20could,70%20percent%2C%20according%20Lightsource%20BP.
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