Tasmania Kicks off Green Hydrogen Production for Blue Economy

Tasmania has begun producing green hydrogen, using 100% renewable energy, at the state’s first facility delivered by the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre. Hydrogen, considered one of the most likely fuels for transitioning the shipping industry, is an effective way to store and export clean energy for several blue economy industries.

Created with an electrolyzer that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, hydrogen’s only emission is water. It can provide reliable electricity for island microgrids, displace diesel and other fossil fuels in aquaculture and vessels, and the oxygen produced along with hydrogen provides an added benefit to aquaculture.

The Tasmanian plant runs on installed solar PV and verified renewable power from the country’s electricity grid. It can generate up to 262 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen per day, equivalent to 11 kilograms per hour or 1.8 tons per week, producing zero carbon dioxide (CO2).

The Hydrogen Production & Research Facility has been developed to:

• support research into the provision of electricity and hydrogen to relevant marine and maritime industries, such as aquaculture and maritime transport;
• support training in advanced microgrid- and hydrogen-related skills;
• build social license and community acceptance; and
• Support trials with Blue Economy CRC partners and third parties through the supply of hydrogen.

“We’re really looking to produce answers to some of our most important questions around hydrogen and its uses,” said BECRC CEO Dr. John Whittington. “This is a research facility and as we ramp-up commercial production we will also better understand the role hydrogen can play and how it can support Australia’s blue economy.”

With an Exclusive Economic Zone of 10 million square kilometers, Australia has enormous potential for deploying offshore renewable energy converter technologies for electricity generation, green hydrogen production, offshore industries and hydrogen-powered vessels.

The Capstone 65 kW hydrogen-fuelled microturbine is an alternative to employing a fuel cell to generate electricity from hydrogen. The containerized microturbine is designed to work as a standalone power generation system that can be deployed in remote locations and to replace diesel-operated generation systems. The hydrogen microgrid, microturbine and electrolyzer infrastructure has been acquired from Optimal Group.

“Our Government has a goal to reach 200% renewable electricity generation by 2040, and this facility is the start of building a sustainable green hydrogen sector to power our State for generations to come,” said Minister for Energy and Renewables, Nick Duigan. “The commencement of this project is also an important step forward in the application of hydrogen as a green fuel, helping to decarbonise our transport sector.”

This is one of a suite of initiatives the Tasmanian Government is progressing for a sustainable hydrogen sector, such as the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub, the Green Hydrogen Price Reduction Scheme and the soon to be released for consultation, Future Clean Fuels Strategy.