The state government has committed $33.6 million in conditional grant funding to five major decarbonisation projects across Western Australia.
The state government has committed $33.6 million in conditional grant funding to five major decarbonisation projects across Western Australia.
This funding is courtesy of the Lower Carbon Grants program’s Gorgon Fund, with the projects encompassing the hydrogen, carbon capture, utilisation/storage and hard to abate sectors.
One successful recipient of the grant funding is Perth-based Hazer Group, which received $6.2 million towards ramping up its commercial reactor scale-up program at the company’s commercial demonstration plant.
As part of the funding, Hazer – which specialises hydrogen and graphite production –has an opportunity to draw down the amount in multiple tranches as key milestones arise at the project.
“We gratefully acknowledge the support of the WA government and the Gorgon joint venture for providing the funding to progress the important next phase of technology scale-up to commercialise Hazer’s novel Western Australian technology,” Hazer managing director and chief executive Glenn Corrie said.
“Hazer is proud of our Western Australian heritage and excited to be recognised for delivering an innovative climate change solution that will significantly reduce emissions and deliver a decarbonisation pathway to heavy industry.
“This non-dilutive funding substantially supports Hazer’s 2025-2026 work program focused on advancing our commercialisation strategy and enables us to expedite the delivery our unique technology to our growing customer base in Australia and world-wide.”
The Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation also received $5 million as part of its community power project, which aims to reduce the reliance on diesel generators in remote Indigenous communities and produce their own power.
This funding is likely to ensure the project will be able to reach the next phase.
The Nathan McIvor-led DAC provides several daily services to the community, which is located 170km north of Perth, which are subsequently used to fund its raft of municipal and social services.
Osborne Park-based Biomass Projects received $8.6 million for phase one of its Mardie char project, while Yara Pilbara Fertilisers – a subsidiary of Yara Pilbara – also secured $8.6 million towards the Yara Pilbara CCS project.
Yara will put the grant towards funding the next stage of the project, which involves testing concepts at the YPF ammonia plant, to achieve a reduction in carbon emissions.
Yara Pilbara chief operations officer Laurent Trost told the market a series of technical studies had already been completed at the site – with these studies indicating that carbon capture and storage could potentially reduce emissions at the plant up to 75 per cent.
“Our approach to achieving low carbon operations has identified CCS as critical technology, while we also look to build up the application of renewables into our production process,” Mr Trost said.
During phase one of its Mardie char project, located in the Pilbara, Biomass Projects intends to convert 40,000 hectares of mesquite weed into biochar.
This weed infestion, the biggest of its kind in Australia, has been identified by federal government officials as of national significance, given its threat to the local environment.
Long-term, the company intends to build the world’s biggest biochar production facility at the project site, with a goal of moving 10.2 million tonnes of CO2 in 20 years.
