Trump kills Twiggy Forrest's US green hydrogen dream
The Forrest-led Fortescue Metals Group on Thursday said it would not proceed with a $US550 million ($830 million) plan to begin producing zero-emissions hydrogen at a new plant in Arizona, blaming the 'shift in priorities away from green energy' under the Trump administration.
'The lack of certainty and step-back in green ambition has stopped the emerging green energy markets, making it hard for previously feasible projects to proceed,' Fortescue head of growth and energy Gus Pichot said.
'As a result, we cannot proceed with our investments as they stand, and will explore future opportunities for our site in Arizona.'
Since returning to the White House, Trump has passed laws to end lucrative tax breaks for wind and solar farms, electric cars and other technologies that would help combat global warming, which he falsely calls a 'hoax', while enacting sweeping measures to make it cheaper and easier for companies to extract more fossil fuels.
The cancellation of the Arizona project comes as Forrest continues a years-long campaign to diversify Fortescue beyond its lucrative Western Australian iron ore mines and into the production of green hydrogen, a promising clean energy source that burns cleanly and could eventually help displace the use of coal, oil and gas in heavy industry.
While Fortescue insists it remains steadfast in its commitment to green hydrogen, it has been forced to hit the brakes on the speed of its ambitions over the past year, blaming the high cost and the vast amount of renewable energy required.
Most of the hydrogen produced across the world today is limited to 'grey hydrogen', made from gas through a process that emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. 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If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. 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If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.
