Dr Matthew Stocks100% Renewable Energy GroupResearch School of EngineeringThe Australian National University

The Pilbara PowerhouseThe North West’s Renewable Energy Export Potential

North West Interconnected System

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New generation capacity worldwide

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Solar learning curve(make more stuff and we get better at it)

Solar panels 200 timeslower cost than 1970

10 times lower cost than 2008

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The Pilbara advantage

Australia’s best solar resource.

Within 10% of world best.

Supply all of Australia’s annual

electricity needs

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Wind

Relatively good resource in elevated location for tropical Australia.

Very good wind in South West WA

Pumped Hydro Storage

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High voltage DC transmission (HVDC)

• Transmit gigawatts over thousands of km

• +/- 1.1 million volts• Loss: 10% between Perth and Pilbara• >200GW of HVDC systems• Examples

– Basslink (Vic-Tas): 400kV, 290km, 500MW

– ABB (China): 1100kV, 3000km, 12GW

NEM

NWIS

SWIS

Pilbara exports today

Iron ore • Australia’s biggest export industry

~ 800 million tonnes per annum• Emissions

– 2 Fe2O3 + 3C => 4 Fe + 3CO2

– High carbon emissions from conversion to iron with coking coal (overseas)

– 300MT of CO2 per annum• Double Australia’s total emissions

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Renewable Hydrogen

Electrolysis• 2 H20 + => 2 H2 + O2

Export “renewable” iron or steel instead of ore• Fe2O3 + 3H2 => 2 Fe + 3H2O• Value added export

– Need more than four times Australia’s current electricity production

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Hydrogen enabler for renewable energy exports

Direct export• Compress H2 and ship to AsiaAmmonia

N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3 – 160MT per annum world wide– Currently uses hydrogen from natural gas

• CH4 + 2H2O → 4H2 + CO2

• Significant CO2 emissions

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Hydrogen enabler for renewable energy exportsSynthetic fuels• Synthetic natural gas

– CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O

• Liquid hydrocarbons– Fischer-tropsch process(3n + 1) H2 + n CO2 → CnH2n+2 + 2n H2O– Essential for air travel

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The Pilbara powerhouse• Pilbara has worldwide solar advantages

– Huge renewable energy potential• Pumped hydro and HVDC enable Pilbara to drive

Australian electricity production• Renewable hydrogen enables low carbon exports

that can dwarf today’s– Hydrogen– Iron– Ammonia– Synthetic fuels

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