An Australian company has signed an MOU with the Miawpukek First Nation for a proposed hydrogen project on the southwest coast.
Project Lynx by Fortescue Future Industries will be developed in and around the Port aux Basques, St. George’s and Stephenville areas, producing a possible 700,000 to 900,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually.
Port aux Basques Mayor Brian Button indicated earlier this month that the town had been approached by a number of companies interested in green energy development, and Perth-based Fortescue had the most promising proposal.
FFI Canada Country Manager Stephen Appleton says the company respects first peoples’ knowledge of the land and believes that involving Indigenous communities at the very beginning of project conception is “the right approach.”
Miawpukek First Nation is collaborating with two other green energy developers – Red Earth Energy and Source3 Energy – on proposed wind to green hydrogen projects at a total of three separate locations on the island. Chief Misel Joe calls the Miapukek’s inclusion in the green enegy projects “historical, transformational” and an example of Indigenous governments working together with government in the spirit of reconciliation.
FFI Canada manager Stephen Appleton says now that the MOU has been signed, the real work begins.
The first step, says Appleton, is to bring selected individuals together to create a task force to look at past work, budgets, and future work to determine the feasibility of the project the company is proposing for the region.
