Fortescue partners to replace Russian gas with hydrogen

Australian renewable green energy development company Fortescue Future Industries and European energy networks and energy infrastructure provider E.ON have partnered to deliver up to five million tonnes per annum of green (GH2) to Europe by 2030.

Five million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of renewable GH2 is equal to approximately one third of the calorific energy Germany imports from Russia.

The partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a research and study partnership, with further detailed documentation and steps required to kickstart supply.

This will help to decarbonise thousands of medium-sized enterprises all over Germany and the Netherlands, as well as other European cities and communities to which E.ON distributes energy.

The agreement was signed in Berlin byFFI chairman Dr Andrew Forrest and COO of E.ON Patrick Lammers, the result of work performed under the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord announced in June 2021 at the G7.

Andrew Forrest said: “Green energy will reduce fossil fuel consumption dramatically in Germany and quickly help substitute Russian energy supply, while creating a massive new employment intensive industry in Australia.

“This is a cohesive and urgently needed part of the green industrial revolution underway here in Europe.”

German Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said: “The race for large scale production and transportation of green hydrogen has taken off.

“The agreement between E.ON and FFI is a major step forward and puts them in a pole position for the delivery of green hydrogen to German industry.”

It is intended that such large amounts of renewable GH2 will be powered by Australia’s immense renewable resources as well as FFI’s other planned global projects, and will be distributed by E.ON.

The parties have also agreed to work together to analyse what solutions could look like to solve infrastructure issues and to build a secure value chain.

Picture: Fortescue Future Industries/hydrogen powered haul truck

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