Townsville port and Ark Energy to collaborate on hydrogen exports

The company working to decarbonise metals producer Korea Zinc is signing a hydrogen agreement with the Townsville port.

• Sun Metals aims to be world’s first to produce ‘green’ zinc
• Queensland government announces $2b renewable energy and hydrogen fund

The company working to decarbonise metals producer Korea Zinc, Ark Energy Corporation, is signing an agreement with the Townsville port to collaborate on the export of hydrogen.

Ark Energy is a sister company to the Sun Metals zinc refinery in Townsville.

It is planning to develop a SunHQ hydrogen hub at the Stuart refinery to produce liquid hydrogen fuel for hydrogen trucks and for export to South Korea.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the port will be signed in Townsville on Tuesday.

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said a feasibility study would investigate the development of the renewable hydrogen facility.

“The Palaszczuk Government’s economic recovery plan is all about creating more jobs and more industries. That’s exactly what we’ll see in North Queensland as a major hub in Queensland’s hydrogen supply chain,” Mr de Brenni said.

“We’ve backed Sun Metals with a $5m Hydrogen Industry Development Fund grant to kickstart hydrogen production in the North.

“Now, through partnerships like this one, Queensland hydrogen will help decarbonise the world and create decent, secure jobs for regional Queenslanders. Our key strategic advantage in Queensland is our State-owned ports.”

One of Hyzon Motors' hydrogen trucks Sun Metals zinc refinery plans to use.

Ark Energy CEO Daniel Kim said the initial goal was to build North Queensland’s domestic hydrogen economy by supporting fleet owners to transition from diesel to hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles which could be refuelled at SunHQ.

“Ultimately our goal is to export green hydrogen to customers in Asia starting with our parent company in South Korea whose hydrogen demand could be as high as 200,000 tonnes per annum,” Mr Kim said.

“We believe that Townsville has the potential to become a major global hub for hydrogen exports. The MOU with the Port of Townsville is an important step in our journey to investigate this exciting export opportunity, which has the potential to transform the regional economy of North Queensland.”

Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said Townsville, with a deepwater port and proximity to Asia, had a strategic edge to become a global hub for producing and exporting hydrogen.

Originally published as Townsville port and Ark Energy to collaborate on hydrogen exports