Most activity in renewable energy in Australia is focused on electric power production and storage. In the transport sector, there is small but increasing interest in pure electric and PHEV vehicles. Another approach to decarbonizing transport energy is the use of renewable hydrogen as vehicle fuel.
BOC is developing a renewable hydrogen production and refuelling project in Queensland. The $3.1 million pilot project will involve the installation of a 220 kW electrolyser and a 100 kW solar array at BOC’s Bulwer Island gas facility to produce green hydrogen via electrolysis, and will utilise the industrial gas equipment and infrastructure onsite. The electrolyser will have the capacity to produce 2400 kilograms of hydrogen per month.
The project also includes a hydrogen refuelling station for vehicles in Brisbane. In addition to supplying BOC’s existing industrial customers, 50kg per day of renewable hydrogen will be produced by BOC for the vehicle refuelling station.
Hydrogen from fossil fuels is currently produced at BOC’s Altona steam methane reformer in Melbourne. Once this project is complete, green hydrogen produced at Bulwer Island will reduce the need to transport hydrogen. The electrolyser will be configured to produce hydrogen via electrolysis drawn from the onsite solar or grid sourced renewable energy via a power purchase agreement.
Kevin Peakman, BOC’s manager of Clean Energy Engineering will provide an update on the project followed by Q&A.
