- Shell backs off renewable hydrogen study with BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks.
Following a thorough scoping and assessment of the efforts, Shell Plc is backing away from the green hydrogen projects it had planned in New South Wales alongside Australia’s BlueScope Steel.
In December 2021, Shell and the Australian steel producer agreed to study and develop renewable hydrogen projects at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks in Illawarra’s New South Wales district.
To evaluate the usage of green hydrogen in the blast furnace at BlueScope’s steel factory, the partners decided to research the building and operation of a 10-MW pilot electrolyzer. They also intended to work with other organizations to create a “hydrogen hub” in the Illawarra area, complete with infrastructure for electricity, hydrogen supply and off-take, and renewable energy.
“Shell evaluates projects such as these based on commercial and strategic considerations. As part of this process, Shell concluded the proposed projects were not a strategic fit,” a spokeswoman for the company told Renewables Now. However, the spokeswoman noted that Shell would continue pursuing hydrogen opportunities in Australia and globally.