Middle Arm creating jobs through hydrogen

21 June 2023

One of the five proponents working to call the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct home, is in Darwin this week to progress work on its project in the precinct.

Total Eren, a renewable energy, global independent power producer, is proposing to develop a green hydrogen production facility – the Darwin H2 Hub – by using solar energy with the capability of producing more than 80,000 tonnes of renewable-based hydrogen per annum for domestic and export potential.

Total Eren is aiming to construct the Darwin H2 Hub at Middle Arm, which has the potential to create approximately 2,000 jobs during construction and 175 ongoing during its operation and help to fast-track a net zero economy.

In August 2022, the Territory Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Total Eren to develop the project.

This week Total Eren will continue to meet with project partners and the Territory Government on their project. They will also continue to work on their environmental baseline studies and mature site design.

Based in Darwin, the H2 Hub will be a renewable energy generation and hydrogen production plant which can assist domestic and international companies to decarbonise through the use of green hydrogen and to facilitate new industries in a net-zero economy

Recently, the Territory Government provided five job creating projects ‘not to deal’ commitments to provide certainty as they develop projects at Middle Arm.

Collectively, these projects represent tens of billions of dollars in capital investment, with the entire Middle Arm development creating around 20,000 jobs in the Territory.

These companies will now progress their facility designs, engineering work and pre-feasibility studies and environmental approvals.  They will be required to comply with all conditions set by the NT EPA as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment process for the precinct which is currently underway.

Quotes attributed to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles:

“This project is another great opportunity for the Territory to create jobs in this new clean energy sector and significantly contribute to the Territory’s drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“With our abundant solar resources and our strategic location to support exports into the Indo-Pacific, the production of green hydrogen is a key opportunity for the Territory to address the growing demand for this green energy globally.

“We’re  growing our economy while also transitioning to net zero emissions, and Middle Arm will play a huge part in that transition. This is what responsibly decarbonising and diversifying our economy looks like.”

Quotes from Total Eren Australia’s Managing Director, Kam Ho:

“Since the execution of the Memorandum of Understanding with the NT Government in August 2022, we have established a collaborative partnership with key NT Departments and thank the continued guidance and support of the Major Projects and Investment Commissions.

To date, we have progressed with on ground surveys of our proposed GW-scale generation facility through the engagement to expert, local, Darwin-based ecological consultants and will imminently commence more detailed surveys, analysis and design on our downstream H2 design within Middle Arm precinct over the next 12 months.

The Darwin H2 Hub will be a fundamentally transformative project for Australia and I am pleased to be here today to demonstrate our commitment in advancing the project through development.”

Northern Territory Government