Andrew Forrest-owned energy company Fortescue will slash 90 green hydrogen jobs across the country, according to ABC News, with the majority of those located in Perth, Western Australia, and the remainder in Gladstone, Queensland.
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The company said it intends to redeploy affected staff to other roles where possible.
A Fortescue spokesperson told ABC News it remained committed to green hydrogen and was focused on creating an Australian green iron industry, which would require hydrogen.
“We are refocusing our efforts into the research and development of new technologies that will deliver green molecules at scale, efficiently and cost-effectively,” the spokesperson said.
Fortescue’s hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing facility in Gladstone opened early last year, however, ABC News suggested the Gladstone Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM 50) project was being reassessed with concerns over the cost.
The news comes on the heels of the new Queensland LNP Government dropping its financial support of export-driven Central Queensland Hydrogen Project in Gladstone.
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Fortescue said it would continue to work with state and federal governments to determine the future of its Gladstone facilities.
