Investments scale up behind Townsville green technology projects

Townsville has drawn a $137 million commitment for its Green Hydrogen Hub at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, one of several large-scale investments advancing local green technology projects.

The scale of these commitments reflects broader interest in projects that combine energy infrastructure with industrial applications. Construction on the hydrogen hub begins in 2025, with commercial operations planned for 2027. Separate plans for a $3 billion lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant with 18GWh capacity are also advancing and are expected to create 1,150 direct jobs once operational.

Named sites and operators

Willow Shopping Centre now hosts Australia's largest solar car park, with panels covering 500 car spaces. The Harris Crossing estate holds the highest concentration of Tesla Powerwalls in the Southern Hemisphere. Sun Metals and SunHQ are positioned to operate the world's first green zinc refinery and will power five 140-tonne hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks by 2025. Townsville became the first Australian council to apply bituminous geomembrane green technology when it capped the Hervey Range Landfill to manage methane leakage.

Evidence from project records

Documents list the $137 million figure for the Lansdown hub, the $3 billion value and 18GWh capacity for the battery plant, and the 1,150 direct jobs tied to that facility. The 500-space solar array at Willow Shopping Centre and the five 140-tonne trucks at the zinc refinery are recorded in the same project summaries. These figures appear in public announcements and planning materials issued by the respective developers and the council.

Further work on the listed projects continues through the scheduled construction and commissioning phases already outlined in the funding documents. Local operators and the council maintain records of the landfill capping completed with the geomembrane system and the solar and battery installations at the named sites.