Curtin call for Gorgon green hub

Curtin University will receive $6.4 million over four years from the Gorgon gas project’s joint venture partners to operate Western Australia’s new GreenTech Hub initiative.

The university was chosen after a competitive expression of interest process as the proponent for the standalone facility, which the government hopes will build capacity and capability in green technologies and services.

The money will be drawn from afour-year, $40 million funding agreement between the state and the Chevron-led Gorgon joint venture.

“The Cook government is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the development of the GreenTech Hub is another important step in reaching this goal,” Innovation and the Digital Economy and Science Minister Stephen Dawson said.

“To be operated by Curtin University, this new standalone GreenTech Hub will play a key role in fostering collaboration, partnerships to drive decarbonisation in WA.

“WA is fast becoming a lower carbon energy superpower and the new hub will drive innovation and the creation of new technology to reach our target of net zero by 2050.

“Our agreement with the Chevron-operated Gorgon project is a huge win-win for the state in making this happen.

The hub will focus on adding economic value through supporting and accelerating the research, development and commercialisation of green technologies and services in WA.”

Curtin deputy vice-chancellor Melinda Fitzgerald said she was delighted the university had been selected in support of the development of low carbon technologies.

“The GreenTech Hub will serve as a dynamic hub for innovators and entrepreneurs dedicated to shaping a greener future,” she said.

“The driving force behind the initiative is our commitment to cultivating a robust consortium of partners, recognising that collaboration with industry leaders is crucial to realising the hub’s objectives.

“Curtin will partner with organisations from across the innovation ecosystem and from each stage of the value chain associated with the development, delivery and implementation of GreenTech.”

A consortium of 25 organisations including major energy and resources companies, emerging businesses, startups, venture capital investors and research and training organisations will be involved, and the university plans to officially open the hub later this year.

The hub will be in addition to the $33.6 million for large research and innovation activities across industries that will test, demonstrate and deploy technologies to support lower-carbon projects.

Grants of between $5 million and $15 million are on offer under the Lower Carbon Grants Program for eligible projects, all drawn from the Gorgon Fund.

The fund is part of the Chevron-led JV’s make-good for of the battles its carbon capture facility has had in operating to nameplate capacity.

The carbon capture project is supposed to store 4 million tonnes per annum of carbon dioxide but is currently operating at less than half its projected rate of storage.

Carbon that is not injected into the carbon capture facility at Gorgon is currently vented into the atmosphere, with remediation work under way to optimise the system and increase storage.

In addition to Chevron, the joint venture includes the Australian subsidiaries of ExxonMobil, Shell, Osaka Gas, MidOcean and JERA.

Applications for grant funding close on June 11.