ENGV, Pacific Energy‘s hydrogen subsidiary, has successfully delivered Australia’s first SimpleFuel Fast hydrogen refuelling system for CSIRO and Swinburne University of Technology‘s Victorian Hydrogen Hub (VH2).
The HRS, developed in partnership with technology company PDC Machines-Ivys, was purpose-built for hydrogen research at CSIRO’s Clayton facility in Victoria and will be used to demonstrate hydrogen’s usability for transportation.
The SimpleFuel Fast system, designed to refill a fleet of up to 25 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) weekly, includes built-in electrolysis and green hydrogen production capabilities capable of producing up to 20kg of emissions-free gas per day, as well as compression, up to 80kg storage, and dispensing facilities.
ENGV’s Managing Director Sean Blythe said the ability to demonstrate the capabilities of this essential renewable energy technology was an exciting milestone for the sector.
“This state-of-the-art facility will provide hydrogen refuelling for CSIRO’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicles so it can demonstrate the real-world application of hydrogen as a transport fuel and enable further research into this promising technology,” Blythe stated.
According to him, the system, designed for compact installation, is a potential future replacement for traditional fuelling infrastructure in the transition to decarbonised energy sources in the transport sector.
“These are some of the practical considerations we need to factor in as we develop our nation’s hydrogen ecosystem and drive innovation in the space, so green hydrogen truly can become a feasible, clean energy fuelling option,” he added.
In 2020, ENGV delivered Australia’s first public hydrogen refuelling station in Canberra for ActewAGL and has subsequently brought other systems and technologies to the Australian market.
ENGV and its parent company, Pacific Energy, have received widespread recognition for their competence in hydrogen systems, resulting in a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ampol, Hyundai, and Toyota. This collaboration aims to create hydrogen refuelling infrastructure collaboratively, initially in the ACT, to make hydrogen a viable transport fuel nationally.
The completion of Australia’s first SimpleFuel Fast hydrogen refuelling system is an important step forward in the country’s clean energy transition, and it corresponds with CSIRO’s Hydrogen Industry Mission, which aims to assist the development of Australia’s clean hydrogen industry.
