APA to blend hydrogen in Victorian gas grid

Australian energy infrastructure firm APA last week announced a proposal to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) to test whether Victoria's gas transmission system is suitable for blending hydrogen.

APA said it was looking to understand whether any upgrades were needed to the grid to safely accommodate hydrogen.

“We expect this study to help us identify which parts of the network are suitable for hydrogen blends,” APA CEO Rob Wheals said. “If the study is approved, the project will benefit from APA’s existing pilot project in Western Australia, which is already investigating the conversion of a section of gas pipeline to be 100% hydrogen-ready.”

APA’s proposed study is off the back of the Australian energy ministers’ decision in August to expedite a push to amend the National Gas Law to allow hydrogen, biomethane and other renewable methane gas to be blended into the national energy system.

“There are currently no Australian standards for the conversion of existing gas infrastructure, which is why it is vitally important to undertake a technical safety assessment at the same time as governments progress reforms to the National Gas Law,” Wheals said.

APA’s Victorian transmission system connects the city and regional areas with almost all of the natural gas consumed in Victoria being transported through its network of interconnected pipelines.

The hydrogen safety proposal, which would test 39 sections of the Victorian network under pressurised hydrogen conditions, is part of APA’s five yearly access arrangement proposal to the AER. The access arrangement defines the terms and conditions and the reference tariffs for transporting gas using the pipelines.