Kawasaki Begins Hydrogen Project

Japanese public multinational corporation Kawasaki Heavy Industries and its subsidiary company based in Melbourne Hydrogen Engineering Australia announced commencement of construction work to build the Hydrogen Liquefaction and Loading Terminal for the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain pilot project (Project).

The facility will convert hydrogen gas into liquefied hydrogen, which will be stored and then loaded onto the world’s first specialized marine carrier for transport to Japan. The Project will involve the production of hydrogen from Latrobe Valley brown coal.

The Project will create a new innovative technical foundation for the development of an exciting hydrogen export industry for Australia.

“Delivering clean hydrogen to the world for the benefit of our environment is a goal we share deeply and we look forward to achieving”, said Chairman of the Board of Kawasaki, Mr Shigeru Murayama.

“The hydrogen economy is already materializing in Japan, and it is wonderful to now be breaking ground here in Australia. We are excited to be translating our joint hydrogen vision into reality”, he said.

The construction work includes building and mechanical installation including a liquefaction facility and a storage container to be completed by June 2020, to be followed by commissioning, with the target operating period being from 2020 to 2021. Kawasaki will use its know-how and experiences gained in past liquefied hydrogen and industrial plants to deliver the Project safely and on time. Kawasaki and HEA will continue to work with the local community to share information about the Project and respond to community feedback.

The Project is being delivered by a consortium of Japan and Australia’s top energy and infrastructure related companies, with the full support of the Victoria, Australian and Japanese Governments.