Hydrogen gas study for Australian towns underway

Adelaide-based company Australian Gas Networks (AGN) has been awarded $1.28 million in federal government funding to support a study into introducing renewable hydrogen into South Australian and Victorian towns. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding will help the Australian Hydrogen Centre (AHC) to explore the feasibility of blending hydrogen into natural gas networks.

The AHC, which is being driven by AGN, 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 feasibility studies for regional towns, 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 mid-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. From June, about 710 households in Mitchell Park will use the blended 5% renewable gas — a combination of natural gas and renewable hydrogen.

The AHC has also received funding support from SA’s Department for Energy and Mining and the Victorian Government.

Industry partners include energy infrastructure business AusNet Services and leading renewable energy companies ENGIE and Neoen. The ARENA grant will cover about 30% of the estimated cost of $4.15 million to complete the AHC work program by January 2022.

South Australian Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the Australian Hydrogen Centre was an exciting renewable energy initiative that fitted perfectly with the government’s plan to deliver more reliable, more affordable and cleaner energy.

“Considering South Australia’s enormous wind and solar resources, we have significant natural advantages that can be leveraged to produce, consume and export 100% green hydrogen,” he said.

Image: An artist's render of the Hydrogen Park SA being built at Tonsley.