Plug Power Inc., which is a global leader in comprehensive hydrogen solutions when it comes to the hydrogen economy, announced on July 7, 2026, that the 50-megawatt – MW Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub – HVHH project in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, has made a final investment decision – FID hence progressing the project into implementation and furthering the delivery of GenEco Proton Exchange Membrane – PEM electrolysers by Plug. The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub will be developed by Orica, which is a global leader when it comes to mining and infrastructure solutions, with operations in more than 100 nations.
The Hunter Valley project, which is next to the current ammonia manufacturing facility by Orica on Kooragang Island, and the largest Australian renewable hydrogen project will make use of renewable electricity to generate renewable hydrogen by means of electrolysis, progressively substituting natural gas in the production of the company’s low-carbon ammonia and ammonium nitrate. They are critical products for the mining, agricultural and industrial sectors in Australia. The HVHH is the largest green hydrogen project in Australia to reach FID and the first project which has been awarded AU$432 million in production credits under the Hydrogen Headstart program of Australia, which is administered via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency – ARENA.
It is well to be noted that the facility, once fully operational, is anticipated to produce almost 4,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year, replacing about 7.5% of natural gas usage by Orica at Kooragang Island, which is like the equivalent of taking around 26,500 cars off the Australian roads every year.
According to the CEO of Plug, José Luis Crespo, “Reaching FID on the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is a significant milestone for Orica, for Australia’s hydrogen industry, and for Plug. Being selected as the electrolyzer OEM for the largest Australian renewable hydrogen project to reach FID, and the first Hydrogen Headstart project to move into the execution phase, reflects the confidence our customers place in Plug’s technology and our ability to deliver at scale. Australia is a key part of our global growth story, and this project reinforces our expanding presence across the Asia-Pacific region.”
Opines Orica Group President – AusPac and Sustainability, Germán Morales, “This Final Investment Decision is a significant milestone in bringing the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub to life. It demonstrates Orica’s commitment to maintaining the competitiveness of both our manufacturing operations and the Hunter Valley, while strengthening Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability. Importantly, it supports the reliable, lower-carbon supply of critical inputs to industries such as mining and agriculture. We selected Plug as our electrolyzer OEM because of its proven track record in delivering large-scale PEM systems and their ability to support a project of this complexity and ambition. We look forward to bringing this facility online and supplying low-carbon ammonia to the mining, agriculture, and industrial customers who depend on us.”
The selection of Plug for the HVHH underscores the company’s substantial footprint when it comes to the Australian hydrogen market and also its expanding global project pipeline. Plug has significant operational experience in Australia, having formerly backed electrolyser projects throughout the country, notably an electrolyser in Townsville which has already started manufacturing and an electrolyser in Chinchilla, Queensland.
Plug has installed over 320 MW of GenEco electrolyser systems on six continents and continues enhancing system performance, minimizing commissioning schedules, and also delivering proven, dependable hydrogen solutions at a large scale. The HVHH project is yet another significant hydrogen project to be included in the fast-growing portfolio of Plug, which already has landmark projects, such as the 100 MW Galp project located in Portugal, which is among the largest electrolyser installations in Europe, as the global pipeline of the company keeps moving from development to deployment.