Global call to deliver hydrogen plan in Australia

Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), Jemena Gas Networks, AusNet and Evoenergy have released a joint expression of interest for information from the international hydrogen supply chain on the cost of deploying renewable hydrogen at scale.

“Through this expression of interest process, suppliers of key inputs to the international hydrogen supply chain are invited to comment on the feasibility, approach and cost of achieving 10% renewable hydrogen by volume across gas networks in the eastern and southern states of Australia,” said AGIG Chief Executive Officer Ben Wilson.

“We believe this objective is achievable by 2030, and that a systematic approach will deliver economies of scale and cost reductions to benefit our customers.”

The international expression of interest will help the Australian industry meet the targets set out in Gas Vision 2050 released in mid-2017, which sets the trajectory for decarbonising gas supply into the future through hydrogen and other renewable sources.

“Gas Vision 2050 sets out three phases as to how the transition to a lower carbon gas supply system would occur in Australia,” said Wilson. “Importantly, this piece of work will inform our move beyond demonstrations to the second phase of commercial-scale blending in gas networks.”

The Australian Hydrogen Centre (AHC), which is being driven by AGIG company Australian Gas Networks, will develop feasibility studies into injecting up to 10% renewable hydrogen into the gas distribution network of one yet-to-be-chosen regional town in South Australia and two in Victoria.

Building on the regional town studies, the AHC will also develop feasibility studies to inject up to 10% renewable hydrogen into the gas distribution networks of South Australia and Victoria and develop a pathway to make the transition to 100% hydrogen networks.

In addition, the AHC will share key insights and data from the operations of Australian Gas Networks’ flagship project, the $11.4 million Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA).

The project is being constructed at the Tonsley innovation precinct south of Adelaide and is expected to be operational by the middle of this year. It will be Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen production facility, producing hydrogen and blending it into the gas distribution network in suburban Mitchell Park.

The key piece of infrastructure at the Tonsley hydrogen park will be a 1.25 MW proton exchange membrane electrolyser, which will use purchased renewable electricity to split water into oxygen and hydrogen gas.

Image caption: An artist’s impression of the Hydrogen Park SA being built at Tonsley.