Fortescue opens Gladstone electrolyser facility

Mining and green technology manufacturer Fortescue has officially opened its electrolyser manufacturing facility in Gladstone, Queensland – one of the first globally to house an automated assembly line (pictured).

The 15,000sqm advanced manufacturing facility, constructed in just over two years, will have capacity to produce over 2GW of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser stacks annually.

Fortescue Executive Chair and Founder Dr Andrew Forrest said the company was proud to be a first mover.

Forrest said: “We are grateful for the Queensland and Federal Government’s vision and early support to help get us started.

“Together we have laid the cornerstone for what will be a massive new manufacturing industry in Australia creating the potential for thousands of new green energy jobs.”

Fortescue Energy CEO Mark Hutchinson said the Gladstone facility would produce electrolysers designed in-house by Fortescue in Australia and the United States, establishing the company as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

Hutchinson said: “This facility positions Fortescue and Gladstone as a large-scale producer of what will be an increasingly sought-after commodity in the global shift to green energy.

“We’re strategically focussed on building out our Energy business.

“Not only are we developing a pipeline of green energy projects, we’re also now designing and manufacturing the specialised equipment and technology that will underpin our green hydrogen projects and that of others.”

The Queensland Government provided land, an electrical sub-station, road network, communications and local scheme water connection for the facility, while the federal government contributed $44m from the Collaboration Stream of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

Hutchinson said the company would continue to research, manufacture, source and invest in new electrolyser technologies keep the facility in the best possible competitive position.

Further investment at Gladstone will also include a hydrogen system testing facility and Fortescue’s PEM50 green hydrogen project.

Picture: Fortescue/automated production cell for electrolysers