Forrest unveils 10GW renewable “super hub” to power grid and green hydrogen

Queensland’s push to become a hydrogen superpower has gained serious new momentum with the announcement of a renewable energy “super hub” in the state’s north that will host more than 10GW of wind and solar projects to produce green hydrogen at an industrial scale.

Plans to develop the North Queensland Super Hub were announced by the Labor Palaszczuk government on Monday, along with Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries and his recently acquired renewables developer Windlab.

The government says detailed planning is already underway for the Super Hub, with the first stage to include Windlab’s proposed 800MW Prairie Wind Farm and a 1GW “Wongalee project,” the details of which were not specified.

RenewEconomy is seeking more information on that project – updates to come. But FFI says in its own release that, subject to approvals – construction on that first 1.8GW of capacity is expected to commence in 2025. First power is expected in 2027.

A game changer – for Queensland and green hydrogen

Despite the lack of detail, the news is big – big enough for FFI CEO Mark Hutchinson to describe it as a “game changer,” even in the context of that company’s billion-dollar budget and growing global list of giga-scale projects.

“For the first time, the North Queensland Super Hub will provide the quantity of green energy we need to support large-scale green hydrogen production right here in Queensland,” Hutchinson said on Monday.

“The environmental and economic opportunities that stem from this are significant, both in terms of lowering emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and in terms of local job creation.”

Windlab CEO John Martin said his company would bring to the table its decade-worth of knowledge of the region’s renewable resources, and its experience in building relationships with local stakeholders and community.

This includes the work so far on the Kennedy Energy Park near Hughenden – a 1.2GW hybrid wind, solar and storage project that’s been under development for several years.

“The North Queensland Super Hub presents a high-yield, complementary wind and solar resource in region ideally suited for multiple offtake opportunities, while being compatible with the existing land use,” Martin said.

“This facility marks a big step towards realising our strategic, scalable development plan that leverages the region’s untapped renewable energy base to transform Australia’s electricity market and drive the nation’s clean energy transition.”

Super hub on a super grid

Speaking at the launch of the hub, or the NQSH, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it would form a big part of the Northern Queensland Renewable Energy Zone (QREZ) and sit at the heart of Queensland’s SuperGrid, announced in September as part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

“Our SuperGrid – made up of wind and solar projects, battery storage and pumped hydro – will supply Queensland with clean, affordable and reliable energy in the decades ahead,” Palaszczuk said.

“It will create 100,000 jobs by 2040, and guarantee secure jobs for energy workers.

“And it will help our state to further decarbonise, to reach the ambitious renewable energy targets we’ve set – including 70 per cent renewable energy by 2032,” the premier said.