Eyre Peninsula project could transform region through green manufacturing
The Eyre Peninsula could be home to a new green manufacturing precinct, opening up opportunities for agriculture and the mining sectors.
Iron Road’s proposed port development at Cape Hardy on the Eyre Peninsula could be a game-changer for the region, following the company signing a project development accord with The Hydrogen Utility to develop a green manufacturing precinct at the site.
The Hydrogen Utility (H2U) is an Australian hydrogen infrastructure developer and renewable energy integrator, which has been running since 2012.
Last year, it was announced that H2U would build a green hydrogen plant near Port Lincoln, with the project receiving support under the South Australian Government’s Renewable Technology Fund through a $4.7 million grant and $7.5 million loan. The Port Lincoln plant will still go ahead, but with larger, full-scale commercial facilities at Cape Hardy.
The Port Lincoln site is costed at $125 million, with H2U chief executive Attilio Pigneri saying he hoped to have the remaining funding finalised by the end of the year.
H2U, Iron Road and farmers group EPCBH will be working together to develop a masterplan for Cape Hardy’s green manufacturing precinct, with funding still to be secured.
Mr Pigneri said the Eyre Peninsula was the perfect site for renewable energy projects.
“The Eyre Peninsula has the best wind resources in Australia,” he said.
Iron Road managing director Andrew Stocks said the accord was a great step forward in the Cape Hardy project.
“We’ve always had the intention to attract third party users to Cape Hardy,” he said.
“H2U will use renewable energy to produce hydrogen, which can be used as fuel. It will also produce ammonia, which can be used for fertiliser in farming and explosives in mining.”
Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association president Sam Telfer said the precinct would expand the jobs base in the region and make the port project more competitive, helping to keep costs down.
“It’s a great opportunity to diversify jobs beyond the traditional agriculture, mining and aquaculture industries,” he said.