The Victorian Government is investing in renewable hydrogen systems to boost network resilience in five Victorian regional areas that suffered outages following the 2021 storms.
Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio has announced over $1.1 million to commission the Telstra Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot to enhance energy resilience during storms around Coldstream, Kinglake, Christmas Hills, Chum Creek, and Neerim North.
“This innovative project uses renewable energy to keep the power running during an emergency, helping to maintain vital telecommunications, which is critical as we encounter more frequent extreme weather events,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.
Telstra Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot project will install a 10-kilowatt renewable hydrogen generator at five locations, enabling rapid changeover for continuous site load and mobile connectivity during main power outages.
These renewable hydrogen systems will offer 72 hours of backup power, surpassing current battery backups, demonstrating the reliability of renewable hydrogen as a zero-emissions generator backup fuel.
“This trial will help to improve network resilience using new renewable hydrogen technology, so that Victorians can be better prepared for extreme weather events,” Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Lee Tarlamis stated.
The $6.6 million Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund provided funding for the project. Five projects have received funds from the program to test renewable hydrogen in real-world applications.
Telstra Group Executive for Global Networks and Technology Nikos Katinakis said the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot at five mobile base stations in Victoria will offer valuable data and experience on emerging technology for future telecommunications.
“We rely on mains power to operate and when that fails, we rely on temporary backup energy from batteries and generators to keep our network running, but Telstra is always keen to investigate alternative energy options to help keep our customers connected and improve the sustainability of our operations,” Katinakis added.
According to the State Government, its Gas Substitution Roadmap, set to be updated later this year, outlines the critical role of renewable hydrogen in Victoria’s renewable energy transition.
Eight grantees will share over $600,000 from the Renewable Hydrogen Business Ready Fund to develop business cases or feasibility studies to support their transition to renewable hydrogen.
The State Government noted the projects are crucial for developing renewable gases, which will help achieve Victoria’s net zero emissions by 2045 target.
