BlueScope and Shell join forces in the Illawarra

BlueScope today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shell Energy Operations Pty Ltd (“Shell”) to work together to explore and develop renewable hydrogen projects at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Refer media release.

The collaboration encompasses two projects: 

• Pilot renewable hydrogen electrolyser plant at the Port Kembla Steelworks

This initial project will investigate designing, building and operating a pilot-scale 10MW renewable hydrogen electrolyser to explore and test the use of green hydrogen in the blast furnace at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks. The ambition is to demonstrate hydrogen as a pathway towards low emissions steelmaking. The hydrogen could also potentially be used for other purposes, such as to feed a pilot direct reduced iron (DRI) plant.

• Illawarra hydrogen hub concept

The MoU also provides for BlueScope and Shell to collaborate with other organisations to develop a “hydrogen hub” in the Illawarra. This project will explore options for hydrogen supply and offtake, renewable energy supply and hydrogen and electricity infrastructure. The project will also examine the logistics infrastructure required for a commercially viable hydrogen supply chain in the Illawarra.

The Illawarra's diversity of sectors across industry, energy, transport infrastructure, minerals and mining, combined with research and academic partnerships, makes it well-placed for further collaborations to develop hydrogen technology and support the region's decarbonisation efforts.