Environmental Protection Authority sets level of assessment for Western Green Energy Hub.
• WGEH progresses to the next stage of project with PER assessment level set by the EPA.
• More detailed environmental and cultural heritage work to be advanced.
• Primary avoidance strategy, including buffer zones, to ensure no overlay nor impact
• Project timing aligns with Government initiatives and emerging hydrogen markets
In another step forward for its project, WGEH Pty Ltd (WGEH) has today received approval from the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) the level at which its project will be assessed under the State’s Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EPA has requested WGEH undertake a Public Environmental Review (PER) which, as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) progresses, ensures a robust and transparent process, including opportunities for public and stakeholder input.
There are several environmental factors identified, with technical studies for many of them already commenced by WGEH.
CEO Dr Ray Macdonald said, “Located across a large area of the Hampton Tablelands, the WGEH project is complex and requires great care to progress; we are fully aligned with the EPA prescribed level of assessment, and the related assessment requirements.”
“To ensure our investigations are thorough, we have already spent considerable time on-country, with traditional owners, environmental and cultural heritage team and we will now move into more targeted and advanced studies”.
“The resulting information will continue to inform WGEH on species, ecosystems and other values that are protected or particularly sensitive”
“This in turn will guide our primary avoidance strategy, meaning related areas can be totally avoided and buffer zones introduced to ensure we have no physical overlay nor impact”.
Stage 1 of the WGEH project has a hub close to Eucla, which would generate up to 6GW of wind and solar power, producing around 330,000 tonnes of zero- carbon green hydrogen each year.
When fully developed, and continuing for decades, around 3.5 Mt of green hydrogen and other hydrogen vectors could be produced each year and made available for use in power generation, supply of shipping fuel, minerals processing and heavy transport.
The staged development and final scale of the WGEH project means that it has the capacity to support key State and Federal government policies, making a significant difference locally, regionally and nationally, as well as positioning Australia globally in the emerging green hydrogen sector.
Dr Macdonald said “WGEH will play a role in reducing the impacts of climate change by generating clean energy without the need for greenhouse gas emissions and negative environmental effects”.
“The WGEH project aligns with both the State and Commonwealth hydrogen strategies and our prospects have been bolstered by the Australian Government’s announcement of the A$ 22.7 billion “Future Made in Australia initiative, including a $2 per kg renewable Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive and a clear focus on the renewable hydrogen and green fuels sectors.”
“With our Stage 1 FID and financial close presently scheduled for 2029, we have the lead- in time to both frame our investment options and to undertake the nominated advanced studies.”
“We are very clear about our responsibilities and the sensitivities, particularly with respect to the environment, aboriginal cultural heritage and communities.”
“We are also very clear about meeting the standards that have been clearly prescribed by the EPA”.
Media contact
Andy Munro 0419 858 121
