The first hydrogen station of its kind may be the first of many on Australia’s east coast.
Viva Energy is launching a new energies service station in Geelong that will begin a network of hydrogen refuelling stations from Geelong to Sydney and onto Brisbane.
The service station is expected to operate in late 2023 and will be Australia’s first publicly accessible commercial hydrogen refuelling station.
To be located on the corner of Station Street and the Princes Highway at the entrance to Geelong Refinery, the hydrogen service station will also offer electric vehicle recharging to bring together zero emission technologies.
When open, the station will be the home of the first deployment of fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fleets in Australia delivered by commercial hydrogen supply contracts.
It will also form a key part of Viva Energy’s Geelong Energy Hub, making the city a pillar in hydrogen-vehicle commercial activity.
The $43.3 million project will include a two-megawatt electrolyser for the generation of hydrogen using recycled water from Barwon Water’s northern water plant and is designed to facilitate the commercial deployment of FCEVs in a mix of industries that aren’t easily decarbonised, including road freight and transport.
Foundation partners deploying vehicles in the first year of the service station include Toll Group, ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC), Cleanaway and Barwon Water.
Viva Energy says it is delighted to showcase the important role hydrogen will play in Australia’s transport future.
“Our partners have come on this journey with us and we share their excitement about what it means for the future of zero emissions transport,” Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt says.
“This project puts hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road to prove their value in day-to-day commercial operations while reducing the carbon footprint of the heavy vehicle transport we rely on every day.”
Viva Energy says the Geelong station will begin as a back-to-base model, but it’s hoping it will become the first of a network of hydrogen-refuelling outlets along key transport routes up Australia’s east coast.
Extracted from Fully Loaded