Energy firm Fortescue has announced the official inauguration of its cutting-edge electrolyser manufacturing facility located in Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. The facility, spanning 15,000 square metres, stands out as one of the pioneering sites worldwide to incorporate an automated assembly line, says the company.
Constructed and fully operational within a timeframe of just over two years, the advanced manufacturing hub is capable of producing over two gigawatts (GW) of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser stacks annually.
Dr. Andrew Forrest AO, Executive Chair and Founder at Fortescue, said, “We are grateful for the Queensland and Federal Government’s vision and early support to help get us started,” adding, “Together we have laid the cornerstone for what will be a massive new manufacturing industry in Australia creating the potential for thousands of new green energy jobs.”
Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Fortescue Energy, emphasised the strategic significance of the Gladstone facility, which designs electrolysers in-house by Fortescue teams across Australia and the United States. He also underscored the escalating demand for green hydrogen and its production equipment amid the global push for decarbonisation.
“This facility positions Fortescue and Gladstone as a large-scale producer of what will be an increasingly sought-after commodity in the global shift to green energy,” Hutchinson stated. “We’re strategically focussed on building out our Energy business. Not only are we developing a pipeline of green energy projects, we’re also now designing and manufacturing the specialised equipment and technology that will underpin our green hydrogen projects and that of others.”
The Queensland Government facilitated development of the site, offering infrastructure support such as electrical sub-stations, road networks, and water connections. In addition, the Australian Government contributed AU$44 million towards the project under the Collaboration Stream of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
The inauguration of the electrolyser facility marks the initial phase of Fortescue’s broader Green Energy Manufacturing Centre, slated for development on the 100-hectare Gladstone site. Subsequent phases will include a hydrogen system testing facility and the PEM50 green hydrogen project.
