The PEM50 project is a new 50MW Hydrogen Production Facility, known as the Gladstone Proton Exchange Membrane 50MW (PEM50) Project. PEM50 will be a commercial scale Green Hydrogen Facility, with the potential to produce up to 8,000 tonnes of Green Hydrogen per annum. PEM50 will deploy the electrolysers manufactured by Fortescue’s Gladstone Electrolyser Facility (GEF), as well as utilising renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and water to generate green hydrogen through electrolysis.
Construction of the PEM50 project commenced in 2024, with a total production capacity of 50MW across two stages. The first production of green hydrogen is expected in 2025, with the second stage scheduled for commissioning in 2028.
This project will be the largest capacity green hydrogen facility in Australia once completed and being a first-mover project of this scale, there were numerous challenges in sourcing equipment compliant with Australian requirements and navigating burgeoning regulations and standards for a facility of this nature.
Primero was engaged because of our Hydrogen expertise and our strong relationship with Fortescue having delivered a number of key projects with Fortescue over our history, including the very successful WHIMS Project at Christmas Creek. Primero also delivered the Hazer Demonstration Plant in Western Australia, providing end-to-end project delivery from concept to commissioning for Hazer’s Hydrogen and Graphite production facility, providing our team with real-world hydrogen experience, beyond the desktop study phase, which Fortescue highly valued when selecting Primero for this scope.
SCOPE
- Primero was engaged to deliver the initial concept select works refining the project design concept from an original test train design (as provided by Fortescue) to a fully integrated hydrogen production facility.
- Following from the concept select phase, Primero was sole-sourced to deliver a detailed front-end engineering design (FEED) for the 50MW hydrogen production facility, which included early procurement of long lead equipment packages, development of the total project capex budget estimate and execution schedule.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The FEED Study successfully concluded with a positive final investment decision (FID) taken by Fortescue on 21 November 2023 and the subsequent commencement of the project execution phase.
- Primero was again sole-sourced to commence early detailed design which concluded in mid-2024.
- This project remains as the largest-scale green hydrogen project to reach FID in Australia.