Hydrogen Production and Research Facility (Renamed Project, Project reclassified as Operating)

Hydrogen Production and Research Facility

The Hydrogen Production & Research Facility, located in Hobart, Tasmania, is a renewables-based hydrogen production facility providing commercial-scale hydrogen for industry & transport applications and supporting research & training development for blue economy industries.

Main proponents: Blue Economy CRC	Main end-use classification: Mobility, Research and development	Status: Operating – the electrolyser system is operational and is in the final commissioning stages, in readiness to start commercial supply of hydrogen in late March 2025	Estimated cost:
Other involvement: BOC, Optimal Group, pitt&sherry, Griffith University, University of Tasmania, Hydro Tasmania, and the Tasmanian Government	Production details: the 700 kW PEM electrolyser can generate up to 262 kilograms (kgs) of gaseous hydrogen per day	Location: Tasmania, Australia	Announced funding:

Project description

(This project was previously titled ‘Hydrogen Microgrid Project’.)

The Hydrogen Production and Research Facility is owned by the Blue Economy CRC and situated at BOC Australia in Lutana, Hobart. The hydrogen microgrid, microturbine and electrolyser infrastructure has been acquired from Optimal Group, and constructed and commissioned by pitt&sherry, Optimal and BOC. BOC will operate and maintain the facility and supply hydrogen to end users.

The Hydrogen Production & Research Facility is one of the pilot projects under the Clean Energy Regulator’s Guarantee of Origin (GO) Trial.

The Facility has been developed to:

• To explore ways of supporting and decarbonising marine and maritime industries through research.
• To explore potential commercial opportunities to demonstrate the benefits of hydrogen for storage and use in broader industry and transport sectors, both onshore and offshore.
• support training in advanced microgrid- and hydrogen-related skills.
• build social license and community acceptance.

In May 2022, the Tasmanian Government announced that Metro Tasmania was to conduct separate operational trials involving three battery electric buses in Launceston and three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses in Hobart until June 2027. The hydrogen fuel cell electric buses are due to be operational early 2025.  More information on the zero-emission bus trial can be found on the Metro Tasmania website. The Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Fund allocated AUD$11.3 million to the hydrogen electric bus trial.

The Blue Economy CRC will be supplying 100% renewables-based hydrogen to support Metro Tasmania’s hydrogen electric bus trial in Hobart.

The project proponent had advised of the following key features of the facility:

• An innovative DC hydrogen microgrid generating 100% renewable hydrogen from installed solar PV and verified renewable power from Tasmania’s electricity grid.
• The microgrid connects electricity flows between the PV panels, the battery, the hydrogen turbine, a clean electricity source for emulating renewable energy sources (e.g. wind and wave generators), and a programmable load to accurately model end-use scenarios for research purposes.
• The 700kW ITM Power PEM electrolyser can generate up to 262 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen per day.
• The Capstone 65 kW hydrogen-fuelled microturbine is a novel technology, and an alternative to employing a fuel cell to generate electricity from hydrogen.
• A low-pressure storage vessel levels out changes in the hydrogen flow from the electrolyser to the compressor and microturbine. The hydrogen buffer storage contains enough hydrogen to operate the turbine at maximum power for about one hour.
• Alternatively, a compressor is used to compress this low-pressure hydrogen into tube trailers holding 180 kg hydrogen, supplied by BOC, for storage and distribution at high pressure.

For more information see https://blueeconomycrc.com.au/hydrogen-facility/.

 

Reviewed: (reviewed by the project proponent): March 2025