Decarbonisation Technology August 2025 Issue

Another challenge for green hydrogen production is access to purified water, which is required for electrolysis. This can be a major constraint in arid regions that have excellent solar and wind resources but limited freshwater. InterContinental Energy’s current portfolio of projects is sited at coastal desert locations (see Figure 3 ), and the P2(H₂)Node system adopts desalinated seawater, enabling self-sufficient operation in water-scarce locations. Projects are being planned on the basis of phasing desalination systems, which are powered by the project’s renewable energy supply. With the build-out of hydrogen production, this reduces strain on local water resources while also improving operational resilience in the face of climate-related risks. A key goal is to minimise the cooling loads of ammonia and other plant, which can require almost as much water intake as that required by the electrolysis. The architecture is also flexible in how hydrogen is delivered to market. In regions with existing industrial demand, such as steelmaking or fertiliser production, hydrogen can be transported via pipeline directly to end users. In other cases, hydrogen can be converted to ammonia or methanol on-site for easier storage and long- distance shipping. The ability to integrate vector production facilities into the same site allows the system to serve both domestic markets and international fuel supply chains. This flexibility is especially important in a developing hydrogen economy where infrastructure and demand maturity vary by region. Green hydrogen at real-world scale One of the largest green hydrogen projects is the Western Green Energy Hub in Western Australia. With up to 70 GW of renewable generation energy potential, this project, based around the P2(H₂)Node architecture, is expected to become the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia production hub. Built over 25+ years, the modular nature of the system allows for the deployment of up to 33 Nodes, with a total electrolysis capacity of ~35 GW, set across a vast area, while integrated desalination, storage, and ammonia conversion create a self-contained value chain. The scale of the project requires a significant review of wind farm losses (an issue currently impacting

offshore wind farms across Europe), and the final project size will need to balance turbine density, land usage, and array efficiency. Supported by Australian Government hydrogen production incentives, the project aims to deliver green ammonia for its first stage in the early 2030s at production costs below $650 per tonne, making it globally competitive against conventional ammonia derived from natural gas. The design and deployment model that will be used in the Western Green Energy Hub illustrates how the P2(H₂)Node system supports national energy goals while maintaining commercial viability. By using standardised architecture and proven technologies, the system avoids delays associated with bespoke engineering and enables faster delivery of benefits such as local job creation, infrastructure investment, and export revenue. Total investment will be in the order of $100 billion spread over around 25 years. Given the extra early infrastructure requirements, for example desalination and marine offloading facilities, the first stage is likely to require up to $15 billion. Investment is expected to be generated from international capital markets, set against long-term offtakes. From molecules to markets: where green hydrogen delivers impact Green hydrogen has broad potential across a range of industrial and transport applications. Direct applications include the steel industry, where it can be used in the reduction of iron, providing a lower-emission alternative to coal or gas-based processes. Cement production and refineries are also large emission sources, where low-carbon hydrogen feedstock can have a significant impact on CO₂ emissions reduction. There is also a range of other vectors that may be developed, including ammonia and methanol end products. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) have also been promoted, but have yet to see widespread advocacy. Ammonia has been promoted as a hydrogen vector to enable shipping between producers and customers in Europe, where the hydrogen is extracted by cracking. While addressing the transport challenges of hydrogen (in either compressed or liquid form), this requires very competitive production costs to produce, post