Oz AGN Gets Funds to Set Up Hydrogen Centre

Gas infrastructure firm Australian Gas Networks (AGN) has received A$1.28mn (US$0.85mn) from the Australian government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) to support the Australian Hydrogen Centre (AHC) to explore the feasibility of blending hydrogen into natural gas networks, the company said February 21.

The AHC has also received funding support from South Australia’s department for energy and mining and Victoria’s department of environment, land, water and planning, AGN said. Other AHC founding members include gas and energy infrastructure business AusNet Services, and energy companies, Engie and Neoen. 

Building on the feasibility studies for regional towns, the AHC will also develop feasibility studies to inject up to 10% renewable hydrogen into the gas distribution networks of South Australia and Victoria and develop a pathway to make the transition to 100% hydrogen networks, the company said.

In addition, the AHC will publish knowledge sharing reports to externalise key insights and data from the operations of AGN’s flagship project, Hydrogen Park South Australia, which will be operational by mid-this year. It will be Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen production facility, expected to be operational by mid-2020, where renewable hydrogen will be produced and blended into the gas distribution network in Mitchell Park, Adelaide.

Approximately 710 households in Mitchell Park will be receiving a blended 5% renewable gas – a combination of natural gas and renewable hydrogen. The Arena grant will cover approximately 31% of the total estimated cost of A$4.15mn to complete the work program of the AHC by January 2022.