The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) Pilot Project was successfully completed in February 2022 with the arrival of the Suiso Frontier in Kobe, Japan with a load onboard of liquefied hydrogen extracted from Latrobe Valley coal.
An overview of the successful pilot phase and the associated key milestones can be found in the report.
HESC has been well supported by the Japanese, Australian, and Victorian Governments throughout the pilot phase.
The realisation of a hydrogen supply chain at commercial scale is being pursued by two consortia.
First is J-POWER and Sumitomo Corporation, to produce clean hydrogen from Latrobe Valley coal with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).
The second is Japan Suiso Energy (JSE), comprised of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Iwatani Corporation, responsible for liquefaction and trans-oceanic shipment to Japan.
All news and updates will be published on this website and enquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Carbon Reduction and Sovereign Capability
At full scale, this project will save some 1.8 milliion tonnes per annum (tpa) of CO2 going into the atmosphere, equivalent to the emissions of some 350,000 vehicles. The project will enable Victoria to establish local manufacturing for clean critical products, such as methanol, aviation fuel, and fertiliser, whilst providing local skilled jobs and reducing reliance on imports.
An Advanced Hydrogen Project
The project will produce clean hydrogen extracted from Latrobe Valley coal supported by carbon capture, and storage, with a portion used in Victoria and the balance liquefied at the Port of Hastings and then exported to Kawasaki City in Japan. The initial production of stage 1 by 2030 will be 40,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) by JPOWER Sumitomo Corporation Joint Venture, with 10,000 tpa for domestic use, whilst Japan Suiso Energy export the remainder to Japan.
Jobs and Investment
Billions of dollars will be invested into Victoria and in addition, with the ongoing export of clean hydrogen, enable Victoria to generate additional revenue streams. The full commercial project will create approximately 2,000 jobs during construction and about 1,000 jobs during operations.
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J-Power’s Scheduled Dismantling of Latrobe Valley Pilot Plant Announced
J-Power’s scheduled dismantling of the HESC Pilot Project’s production plant will begin in September 2025, expected to be completed by end-2025. This process is part of the original HESC Pilot Project’s plans, which successfully demonstrated the pilot hydrogen supply chain in February 2022. The dismantling team will work in compliance with environmental and safety regulations…
A statement from Kawasaki Heavy Industries
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J-Power and Sumitomo Corporation Joint Venture (JPSC JV) visits Gippsland for Cultural Awareness Training with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Association
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