Swinburne University of Technology Victorian Hydrogen Hub – CSIRO Hydrogen Refuelling Station
Swinburne University of Technology Victorian Hydrogen Hub – CSIRO Hydrogen Refuelling Station
As part of its partnership with Swinburne University of Technology under the VH2 initiative, CSIRO has installed a hydrogen refuelling station at its Clayton campus in Melbourne: the refuelling station is a key milestone in the development of CSIRO’s Hydrogen Industry Mission.
| Main proponents:
Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Swinburne University of Technology |
Main end-use classification:
Hydrogen mobility
|
Status:
Operating – officially launched in November 2023
|
Estimated cost:
AUD$2.5 million – refueller component |
| Other involvement:
|
Production details:
20 kilograms (kg) of hydrogen per day capacity |
Location:
Victoria, Australia |
Announced funding:
AUD$1 million – under the AUD$10 million Swinburne University of Technology Victorian Hydrogen Hub (VH2) initiative. |
Project description:
The VH2 is a funding initiative of the Victorian Government designed to bring together researchers and industry to test, trial and demonstrate new and emerging hydrogen technologies.
As part of this initiative, CSIRO received AUD$1 million as a co-investment in the development of a refuelling station to fuel and test hydrogen vehicles. The refuelling station is located at CSIRO’s Clayton campus in Melbourne, Victoria. The refuelling station is a key milestone in the development of CSIRO’s Hydrogen Industry Mission.
Installation of the hydrogen refuelling system took place alongside the Hydrogen Technology Demonstration facility which has several integrated hydrogen production and storage demonstration projects in development.
The facility will leverage the expertise and infrastructure from CSIRO’s existing Centre for Hybrid Energy Systems, also located at the Clayton site.
In August 2021, Melbourne-based ENGV Pty Ltd (now part of Pacific Energy Connected Pty Ltd) announced it had been awarded the tender to supply a hydrogen refuelling station, in collaboration with its US-based technology partners PDC Machines and IVYS Energy Solutions. COVID-19 related supply chain issues extended the construction period.
Hydrogen production capacity is at approximately 20 kilograms (kg) per day (PEM electrolyser) with associated storage capacity of 80 kg. The refuelling station was officially launched in November 2023.
Power for the electrolysers and facilities is sourced from renewable energy via a power purchase agreement supplemented by onsite solar generation which was deployed across the CSIRO Clayton site in 2020.
In May 2021, it was announced that CSIRO had entered into a lease arrangement with Toyota to lease the Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle, which will be used for testing at CSIRO’s Clayton campus hydrogen refuelling facility. In May 2024, CSIRO replaced the original Toyota Mirai with two later versions of the same vehicle.
At present, refueller operations are R&D focussed; the refueller is accessible for CSIRO’s own use and by partners engaged with CSIRO to perform particular hydrogen-related projects.
Reviewed (reviewed by a project proponent): March 2025