The Western Australia government is investing $2 million from the Renewable Hydrogen Fund for Yara Pilbara Fertiliser’s YURI Green Ammonia project on the Burrup Peninsula, north of Dampier.

The project will use solar energy to produce renewable hydrogen which will in turn be used to produce green ammonia for export to global markets.

Yara, together with partner ENGIE, will initially install a 10MW renewable hydrogen plant to feed into its existing ammonia plant on the Burrup, with plans to significantly scale up to 500MW over the coming years.

The project is one of four in Western Australia currently being considered for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s $70 million Renewable Hydrogen Deployment Fund grants program.

YURI is the fourth capital works grant to be allocated funding from the first round of the Renewable Hydrogen Fund, subject to conditions including the project reaching a final investment decision.

The second round of the Renewable Hydrogen Fund has opened, with up to $5 million available to support projects aligned with the state government’s vision for the State to become a significant producer, exporter and user of renewable hydrogen.

The first round of the state’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund saw $6 million in grants committed to four capital works projects, and $1.67 million committed to seven feasibility studies.

Western Australia regional development minister Alannah MacTiernan said the state has an extraordinary opportunity to become a leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry.

“This project will put the Pilbara front-and-centre in the global renewable hydrogen race, creating a clean ammonia product for the world.”