Motorists will be able to pull into a service station and fill up their hydrogen-powered car, bus or truck in Brisbane within months.
The BP service station and truck stop on Export Road, Lytton, will be the Australian service station retrofitted with a hydrogen bay and open to the public.
Work started this week on the first site in a planned three-state network of hydrogen fuel stations.
Hydrogen already powers some Queensland-registered heavy vehicles, and the state government has five hydrogen-powered Hyundai NEXO sedans.
As a simple guide, it costs the state government around $90 to fill the six-kilogram tank on these Hyundai sedans, and they drive for close to 660 kilometres from a full tank.
But, not unlike electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles need somewhere to fill up, and in Queensland that is currently limited to industrial facilities.
Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the Lytton service station would be supplying motorists with hydrogen before Christmas.
“We are exploring every opportunity to capitalise on the opportunities of Queensland’s energy transformation,” de Brenni said.
“From hydrogen-powered trucks and coaches to trains and marine vessels, the opportunity for this energy revolution is up for grabs.”
The green hydrogen used at the Lytton station will be produced at BOC’s gas plant on Bulwer Island, in Moreton Bay, and piped ashore.
Transport is one of the biggest emitters of carbon, and in 2021 accounted for around 14 per cent of Queensland’s total emissions.
According to de Brenni, the acceleration of hydrogen use in Queensland could generate 48,000 new jobs.
“Securing Australia’s sovereign energy independence involves reducing our reliance on
imported fuel to power our transport sector,” he said.
The Queensland government has started partnerships to explore using hydrogen fuel cells in heavy freight, rail and aviation industries.
The Australian Capital Territory recently opened a purpose-designed hydrogen fuel facility for heavy freight vehicles.
Extracted from WA Today