- The company envisages retrofitting the coal plant for hydrogen production
The green energy business arm of Australian iron ore company, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has revealed its plans to conduct a study into the conversion of the former Centralia coal mine located in Washington state into a green hydrogen production plant.
FFI will conduct a feasibility study, upon signing an exclusivity agreement with the Industrial Park at TransAlta (IPAT). If the studies prove successful, then FFI will employ workers from the Centralia coal-fired power plant adjacent to the IPAT project site, as the coal site is to be closed in 2025. According to Richard Deboit, the Executive Director of the Lewis Economic Alliance, IPAT was created to redevelop the site and attract investment.
FFI’s proposal would enable the development of a Pacific Northwest green hydrogen hub. It further said that it would apply for a grant under the US Department of Energy Hydrogen Hub Programme. This will be done in a joint partnership with Pacific stakeholders, including Puget Sound Energy, Washington Maritime Blue, Twin Transit, and the Lewis County Energy Innovation Coalition.