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Hydrogen refueling facility unveiled by petroleum company, fueled by eco-friendly power sources

Freshly introduced hydrogen refueling station, pioneering Australia's renewable industry, caters to heavy-duty vehicles powered by hydrogen.

Hydrogen fueling station unveiled by a major petroleum company, harnessing power from "green...
Hydrogen fueling station unveiled by a major petroleum company, harnessing power from "green energy."

Hydrogen refueling facility unveiled by petroleum company, fueled by eco-friendly power sources

In Geelong, Victoria, Viva Energy has unveiled Australia's first publicly accessible commercial hydrogen refuelling station. The station, named the New Energies Service Station, uses a 2.5 MW PEM electrolyser from Nel Hydrogen and is designed to refuel at least 10 trucks consecutively, capable of dispensing up to 300kg of hydrogen in under two hours [1].

The hydrogen produced at the station is primarily powered by renewable energy sources rather than the predominantly 'grey' hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels without carbon capture. Viva Energy emphasizes renewable and decarbonising technologies at this site, aligning their approach with green or renewable hydrogen production [2][4].

The electrolyser used at the New Energies Service Station is connected to the wider electricity network, but Viva Energy cannot decide where its electricity is coming from. The station's electricity is sourced from the grid, and Viva Energy buys sustainable electricity to power the electrolyser [3].

Viva Energy has partnered with four companies, including Toll Group, transport provider ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC), waste management firm Cleanaway, and an unspecified fourth partner, to use the hydrogen produced at the site to power seven hydrogen fuel cell vehicles [5]. The company plans to deploy up to 15 hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles within two years [6].

The project has been partially financed by Arena and the Victorian Government's Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund, who pledged A$22.8 million and A$1 million, respectively [7]. However, the station is not producing hydrogen completely carbon-free due to the current reliance on fossil fuels in the National Electricity Market.

The majority of the world's hydrogen is referred to as "grey", meaning it's been produced through a carbon-intensive process. Over 95% of the world's hydrogen falls into this category [8]. Developers often pair an electrolyser-based hydrogen production plant with renewable energy generation and some form of battery storage to produce truly carbon-free hydrogen.

The New Energies Service Station is a significant step towards a sustainable future for heavy vehicle transport in Australia, demonstrating Viva Energy's commitment to decarbonisation projects and the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy vector for heavy vehicles [1][2].

References: 1. Viva Energy opens Australia's first commercial hydrogen refuelling station 2. Viva Energy's green hydrogen project to power heavy vehicles in Geelong 3. Viva Energy's Geelong hydrogen refuelling station is green, but not completely carbon-free 4. Viva Energy's Geelong hydrogen project builds on learnings from green hydrogen demonstration 5. Viva Energy partners with four companies for Geelong hydrogen project 6. Viva Energy to deploy up to 15 hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles within two years 7. Arena and Victorian Government fund Viva Energy's Geelong hydrogen project 8. The hydrogen economy: A global perspective

  1. Viva Energy's commitment to decarbonisation projects is evident in the implementation of renewable energy sources at the New Energies Service Station, which produces hydrogen primarily from these sources rather than 'grey' hydrogen.
  2. The production of hydrogen at the New Energies Service Station aligns with the environmental-science principles of decarbonising technologies and green or renewable hydrogen production.
  3. Despite the station's electricity being sourced from the grid, Viva Energy makes a conscious effort to buy sustainableenergy to power the electrolyser at the New Energies Service Station.
  4. The partnership between Viva Energy and four companies is a strategy to harness the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy vector, demonstrating the industrial application of renewable-energy technologies in heavy vehicle transport.

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