Energy and metals company, Fortescue, has opened a new, fully-automated green energy manufacturing centre in central Queensland as part of the Government’s Future Made in Australia plan to boost the country’s industrial and manufacturing capabilities.

Located in Gladstone, the Green Energy Manufacturing (GEM) Centre houses the new Gladstone Electrolyser Facility (GEF) with a current capacity of over two gigawatts (GW) of electrolysers per annum to produce a world-leading amount of green hydrogen using a fully automated production line and robotic assembly cells and lines.

The centre’s second stage will see the construction of a 50 megawatt (MW) hydrogen production facility, known as the Gladstone Proton Exchange Membrane 50MW (PEM50) Project, which will see the production of up to 8,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year from 2025.

As part of its investment in renewable technology, the Government injected $44.9 million into the project through Fortescue Future Industries, to commence development of the facility.

“This demonstrates our commitment to a Future Made in Australia, while also helping the country make the transition to net zero,” Hon. Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science, said.

“We can cut emissions and increase jobs at the same time. Regional Queensland can play an important role here, and we are investing in its ability to do just that.

“This Hydrogen Gigafactory shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together for the long-term good of the country.”

The CSIRO and Central Queensland University are also partners on the project, with Fortescue confirming it is committed to communicating with key stakeholders to ensure skills development and training opportunities remain available throughout the delivery of the project.