A key milestone of WA's Renewable Hydrogen Strategy has been met with renewable hydrogen blended into the natural gas network for the first time and the State's first high-speed hydrogen refueller officially open.
Natural gas company ATCO has today begun blending a small percentage of renewable hydrogen into a portion of the natural gas distribution network within the City of Cockburn. This project is one of the largest of its kind in Australia and is expected to reach over 2,700 business and households. Blending renewable hydrogen with natural gas creates a pathway to lower emissions and drives us towards our net zero future.
ATCO and Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) also today opened WA's first renewable hydrogen refuelling station. The station will be used to refuel their hydrogen fuel cell electric fleet of Toyota Mirai as well as other agreed third parties' vehichles such as WA Police.
The WA Government has committed $162.5 million to support the development of the renewable hydrogen industry in Western Australia following the release of the Renewable Hydrogen Strategy in 2019. The strategy set out 4 targets for completion in 2022:
- a refuelling facility available in WA,
- distribution of hydrogen into the gas network,
- use of hydrogen in a remote location, and
- approval of an export project.
The milestones today mean the WA Government has hit all 4 of its 2022 targets on time, following the commissioning of the Denham hydrogen plant in October and the commencement of construction on the joint Yara/ENGIE Yuri project in the Pilbara.
As Western Australia transitions to net zero emissions by 2050, renewable hydrogen will have a lead role to play in meeting our energy needs.
