Australian green hydrogen developer lands “confidence building” EU project

Perth based green hydrogen developer Infinite Green Energy announced on Tuesday that it will partner with Swiss renewable energy producer Axpo to build one of Italy’s biggest commercial-scale renewable hydrogen plants.

Founded in 2018 in Perth as Infinite Blue Energy “before hydrogen had ‘colours’”, Infinite Green Energy CEO Stephen Gauld emphasised the company’s name change in 2022 was designed to reflect the company’s commitment to “producing only renewable green hydrogen.”

Infinite Green is probably most well known as the developer behind the mammoth Arrowsmith hydrogen project set to be built south of Dongara, on the central coast of Western Australia.

Consisting of wind and solar generation and being built in several phases, when finally completed Arrowsmith will be capable of producing 292 tonnes of green hydrogen per day.

Announced on Tuesday, Infinite Green will be taking its experience overseas, after signing a binding joint development agreement (JDA) with Axpo Holding to develop the commercial-scale Valle Peligna hydrogen project in Abruzzo, Italy.

Gauld says he expects the Italian project will continue to build the confidence of Infinite Green Energy’s shareholders, strategic partners and buyers in both Australia and Europe.

Part of Italy’s larger ‘Hydrogen Valley’ strategy – the creation of localised, large-scale, and integrated hydrogen ecosystems on brownfield sites already connected to the electrical grid – the Valle Peligna hydrogen project was originally launched more than 18 months ago.

The Valle Peligna will consist of a 30MW electrolyser powered by a 45MW solar farm and will deliver around 12 tonnes of green hydrogen per day to the surrounding Corfinio industrial area’s hard-to-abate and mobility sectors.

Infinite Green Energy expects the project will be capable of producing around 4,200 tonnes of green hydrogen each year, displacing around 18 million litres of diesel, and preventing approximately 67,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

With production expected to get underway in the second half of 2025, Infinite Green Energy says the project may also include a refuelling station, which would enable the supply of back-to-base operations. This could also expand to a larger Trans-European Transport Network – part of the European Union’s mandate of building a hydrogen refuelling station every 200 kilometres in all major cities.

“Partnering with Switzerland’s largest renewable energy producer will continue to build the confidence of our shareholders, strategic partners and buyers across Australia and Europe,” said Gauld.

“The partnership highlights IGE’s commitment to not only fighting climate change but to also delivering a sustainable future and creating jobs in communities that will benefit from green energy.”