Low cost renewable energy
for local and export markets

The Asian Renewable Energy Hub will generate 26,000 MW of renewable energy in Western Australia. Up to 3,000 MW of generation capacity will be dedicated to large energy users in the Pilbara region, which could include new and expanded mines and downstream mineral processing. The bulk of the energy will be used for large scale production of green hydrogen products for domestic and export markets.

From a 14,000-square kilometre initial land package, 6,500 square kilometres of land in the East Pilbara region of Western Australia were selected to accommodate 26,000 MW of wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. Outstanding wind and solar resource and large project scale will result in competitively priced renewable energy with a high capacity factor.

Project development commenced in 2014 with a study of the entire north-west coast of Western Australia. Project land has been secured through the WA Department of Lands, the Traditional Owners are actively engaged and supportive, onshore and offshore development studies have been completed and a consortium of global renewable energy leaders has been assembled. The West Australian Government acknowledged the project’s potential and progress with Lead Agency Status in July 2018, and in October 2020 the first 15,000 MW stage of the project received environmental approval from the Western Australian Government.

Project Benefits

The Asian Renewable Energy Hub has the potential to create benefits for a wide range of stakeholders:

• Supply chains to manufacture and assemble some of the equipment associated with the wind and solar generation and hydrogen production equipment are anticipated to be established in Western Australia for the project. This will create skilled high-tech jobs, will result in technology and knowledge transfer, and will diversify the Western Australian economy.
• The project will generate cheap clean energy for the Pilbara region, which will be a catalyst for new economic activity, diversification and growth. Many high value jobs will be created for the 10 year construction period and the 50+ year operations and maintenance period. There are particular opportunities for the Traditional Owners, the Nyangumarta People, to develop new skills, jobs and revenue, which will provide comprehensive and enduring community benefits.
• The project will generate very large volumes of cheap, clean renewable energy, which is ideal for the large scale production of green hydrogen, which will find markets both in Australia and overseas. Japan and Korea in particular have expressed strong ambitions for adopting clean hydrogen in coming years, to help decarbonise their economies and to maintain energy security.