The West Australian
One of the world’s largest green energy hubs being developed in West Australia’s Goldfields-Esperance region is a step closer to reality after the project’s consortium struck a partnership with Korea Electric Power Corporation.
The Western Green Energy Hub is a staged development located over 15,000 square-kilometres of on Mirning Country.
It is expected to generate around 50GW of electricity through a combination of solar and wind power, enabling 3.5 million tonnes of zero-carbon green hydrogen a year for supply to both domestic and international customers, including South Korea.
The hub’s three shareholders — InterContinental Energy, CWP Global and Mirning Traditional Lands Aboriginal Corporation — on Tuesday announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding with KEPCO, confirming the Korean utility’s interest in participating in the project.
WGEH chief executive Ray Macdonald said he looked forward to the collaboration to further the joint goal to develop the project, as well as being a long-term supply partner to South Korea and other international markets.
“This new partnership is recognition of the work we have done to date and, perhaps more importantly, it recognises the opportunities that lie ahead,” he said.
“This includes the present update of the Australian Government national hydrogen strategy and the opportunity for priority promotion of regional development, Indigenous participation, and a new green export industry for Australia.”
KEPCO’s vice president and head of new and global business development department Chan Hyuk Chun said the MOU enabled the utility to bring its knowledge and experience to the project, noting it was “ideally located in an area of impressive wind and solar resources”.
Hydrogen Industry Minister Bill Johnston said the project would put WA at the forefront of producing green hydrogen.
A final investment decision is expected in 2027.
