Frontier sizes up contractors for solar powered green hydrogen project

Frontier Energy is zeroing in on an engineering and construction contractor to develop its proposed Stage One 114 MW Bristol Springs solar plant in Western Australia.

The aspiring renewables and green hydrogen producer says it has narrowed a field of EPC candidates from five to two to work on the solar plant, which will power a proposed 36.6MW electrolyser to produce 4.4 million kilograms of green hydrogen annually.

The EPC contract is a key requirement for the project financing process, which is expected to commence early next year.

Frontier estimates Stage One construction will cost around $166 million, with the highest expense in the solar modules, costing around $42 million.

“Highly competitive” development proposals

Frontier executive chair, Grant Davey, says the shortlisted companies – who are not being named – both have “significant experience” developing industrial scale solar farms in Australia.

“Despite the high inflationary environment, the costs forecast were highly competitive and in line with the PFS (pre-feasibility study) estimate,” Davey said.

The solar farm will be located on roughly 195 hectares of land mostly cleared of vegetation from its historical use for agricultural purposes.

As reported by RenewEconomy, the site will eventually connect to the existing Western Power 330kV transmission network via the Landwehr Terminal, located 4km north-east of the solar plant and alleviating the need to build its own network.

An EPC tender for  development of the hydrogen stage will follow completion of a key study scheduled for release within the next three months, according to Frontier.

Cheap, green hydrogen

Once fully up and running, Frontier believes the Bristol Springs project could be both an earlier mover and one of the lowest cost green hydrogen assets in Australia, thanks to its unique location surrounded by major infrastructure.

This reduces operating and capital costs compared to more remote hydrogen projects, whilst also being surrounded by likely early adopters into the hydrogen industry in the transition from fossil fuels, according to the company.

Frontier has engaged engineering consultants GHD to assist in the final selection of an EPC contractor for Stage One.  GHD is also conducting studies for the hydrogen facility.

It  anticipates its initial hydrogen production will be sold into the domestic market, with its first customers likely to be long-haul transportation pipelines and energy storage.