Plug Power (green hydrogen technology company) has secured a 50-megawatt electrolyzer order for what is now Australia's largest renewable hydrogen project to reach a final investment decision, with mining solutions company Orica confirming the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub in New South Wales has moved into the full execution phase.

A Landmark Decision for Australian Hydrogen

The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, located at Newcastle in New South Wales, reached a final investment decision on July 7, 2026, triggering the active delivery phase of Plug Power's GenEco Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyzers.

The project is being developed by Orica, a global mining and infrastructure solutions company operating across more than 100 countries with a workforce of more than 14,000 people worldwide.

The hub holds a dual distinction: it is the largest green hydrogen project in Australia to have reached a final investment decision, and it is the first recipient of Australia's Hydrogen Headstart program to advance into the execution phase.

The Hydrogen Headstart program, administered through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, awarded USD 432 million in production credits to support the project.

The facility will be built adjacent to Orica's existing ammonia manufacturing site on Kooragang Island. It will use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis, with that hydrogen progressively replacing natural gas in the production of low-carbon ammonia and ammonium nitrate, products that serve Australia's mining, agriculture, and industrial sectors.

Scale and Environmental Impact

At full operational capacity, the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is expected to produce approximately 4,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year. That output is projected to displace around 7.5 percent of Orica's natural gas consumption at the Kooragang Island facility, an emissions reduction the company equates to removing approximately 26,500 cars from Australian roads on an annual basis.

Plug Power CEO José Luis Crespo described the milestone as significant not only for the two companies involved but for Australia's broader hydrogen industry.

"Being selected as the electrolyzer OEM for the country's largest renewable hydrogen project to reach FID, and the first Hydrogen Headstart project to move into the execution phase, reflects the confidence our customers place in Plug's technology and our ability to deliver at scale," Crespo said. "Australia is a key part of our global growth story, and this project reinforces our expanding presence across the Asia-Pacific region."

Germán Morales, Orica Group President for AusPac and Sustainability, said the final investment decision demonstrated Orica's commitment to maintaining competitiveness in both its manufacturing operations and the broader Hunter Valley region.

"It supports the reliable, lower-carbon supply of critical inputs to industries such as mining and agriculture," Morales said. He added that Plug was selected as an electrolyzer OEM because of its proven track record in delivering large-scale PEM systems and its ability to support a project of the complexity and ambition that the Hunter Valley Hub represents.

Plug Power's Australian and Global Footprint

The order builds on Plug Power's existing presence in the Australian hydrogen market. The company has previously supported electrolyzer projects across the country, including an electrolyzer in Townsville that has already commenced production and an electrolyzer in Chinchilla, Queensland.

The company described Australia as a key element of its global growth strategy and said the Hunter Valley project advances its expanding footprint across the Asia-Pacific region.

Globally, Plug Power reports that it has deployed more than 320 megawatts of GenEco electrolyzer systems across six continents. The company said it leverages this installed base to optimize system performance, streamline commissioning timelines, and deliver hydrogen solutions at scale.

The HVHH project sits alongside other major installations in Plug's portfolio, including the 100 megawatt Galp project in Portugal, which the company described as one of Europe's largest electrolyzer installations.

Orica's Decarbonization Strategy

For Orica, the project forms part of a broader sustainability strategy. The company, which has been operating for 150 years, has set an ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and has stated a commitment to supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub represents a direct application of that ambition, using renewable hydrogen to reduce the carbon intensity of ammonia production at one of its core manufacturing sites.

Ammonia and ammonium nitrate produced at the Kooragang Island facility are described as essential products for Australia's mining, agriculture, and industrial sectors, making the site strategically significant beyond its role in Orica's own operations.

The transition toward lower-carbon production at that facility, enabled by the new hydrogen hub, is framed by the company as supporting the sovereign manufacturing capability of both the Hunter Valley region and Australia more broadly.

Hydrogen Headstart and Government Support

The Hydrogen Headstart program through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency played a central role in enabling the project to reach financial close. The USD 432 million in production credits awarded to the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub represented government backing designed to bridge the cost gap between renewable hydrogen production and conventional alternatives.

The fact that the HVHH is the first Hydrogen Headstart recipient to reach FID marks a concrete policy outcome for the program, which was designed to accelerate the commercialization of large-scale green hydrogen projects in Australia.

Australia's Hydrogen Ambitions Demand Smarter Project Intelligence

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