An international consortium is unveiling plans for an integrated green fuels mega-project in Western Australia, creating what would be the world’s biggest renewable energy hub, Kallanish reports.

The Western Green Energy Hub (WGEH) would stretch across 15,000 square kilometres and could produce 50 gigawatts of wind and solar energy. Wind would generate about 30 GW. The hub would be constructed in phases and would use wind and solar to produce green hydrogen. The project would produce 3.5 million tonnes/year of zero-carbon green hydrogen or 20m t/year of green ammonia, for use in Australia and for export.

The AUS 100 billion ($75 billion) project would be commissioned after 2030. A final investment decision is projected in 2028 or later. The project would include an offshore facility to transfer fuels onto ships for exports to China, South Korea and Japan.

The companies behind the project are InterContinental Energy, CWP Global and Mirning Green Energy Ltd. The plan was unveiled on Tuesday in Hong Kong.

Globally, the green hydrogen sector is predicted to become a $2.5 trillion market by 2050. The consortium says it envisions the green fuels marketing continuing to expand post-2030. But other competitive green hydrogen projects are being proposed around the globe. The new project would surpass the 45 GW project planned in Kazakhstan and a 25 GW project in Oman.

Hong Kong-based InterContinental and Australia-based CWP had proposed the 26 GW Asian Renewable Energy Hub in Australia’s Pilbara region that was recently rejected by Australian officials.

The new Australia project would be located across the Shires of Dundas and the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder on the south coast of Western Australia. Conditions there are suitable for wind and solar development, the consortium says.

The project is “historic on two fronts,” says WGEH chairman of the board Brendan Hammond. The project’s scale is historic as is the fact that the consortium includes an aboriginal company. Mirning Green Energy Ltd is a subsidiary of the Mirning Traditional Land Aboriginal Corp and is partnering in the deal to represent First Nations land owners.

The project will also create significant socio-economic benefits to Western Australia and boost Australian and Western Australian plans to boost hydrogen production and use. The green fuels would be used in power production, shipping, steel, chemicals, mining and aviation.