FFI gets green light to explore potential WA Mid West hub
Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has been allocated land in the WA Government’s Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area (SIA), paving the way for the company to progress its exploration of a proposed project for the domestic and international export of green hydrogen and green ammonia from the Mid West.
WA Minister for Regional Development, Agriculture and Food and Hydrogen Industry Alannah MacTiernan announced FFI had been allocated the land, 435 km north of Perth, after the company expressed an interest in developing a project at Oakajee SIA.
The allocation allows FFI to continue to progress its proposed project at Oakajee, which is subject to further scoping and feasibility studies to determine how to best proceed with project development. FFI has been working closely with stakeholders to bring export-scale green hydrogen and ammonia to the Mid West.
The company is confident that the quality of wind and solar resources in the region could support a major renewable energy hub, including associated industries such as the manufacturing of key infrastructure equipment.
“Our aim is to generate electricity from the Mid West’s abundant natural resource base and use it to create products to rapidly displace fossil fuels and help address the effects of climate change,” said FFI Australia West Director Maia Schweizer. “It is a renewable energy race and Oakajee has a lot of the ingredients needed to be a leader.
“The Mid West region has the opportunity to join the global green hydrogen revolution. This land allocation is a really important milestone in firming up our proposed project.”
FFI has started engaging with community stakeholders to understand concerns and identify opportunities for local businesses. The company says it will work with stakeholders to assess the potential impacts of the proposed project on the local and state economy and the surrounding communities, as well as the cultural and environmental impacts.
“We look forward to continuing to engage with the community, to listen carefully and to work towards our projects delivering ongoing benefits to the community and the state of WA,” Schweizer said.
FFI will now start discussions with DevelopmentWA to establish key terms for the company’s land allocation within Oakajee SIA.
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