Viva Energy has announced the launch of Australia’s most ambitious hydrogen mobility project, which will see the development of a New Energies Service Station in Geelong as the catalyst for the development of a network of hydrogen refueling stations stretching from Geelong to Sydney and on to Brisbane.
The service station, which is planned to open in late 2023, will be Australia’s first commercial hydrogen refueling station that is open to the public. Additionally, it will provide charging for electric vehicles and green hydrogen, bringing together the zero-emission technologies that will assist Australia’s energy transition.
The project is a critical component of Viva Energy’s Geelong Energy Hub, positioning the city as a pioneer in the adoption of diversified commercial hydrogen-vehicle activity. Viva Energy’s investment accelerates the adoption of hydrogen across a broad range of transportation applications and contributes to Australia’s aim of becoming a hydrogen superpower.
The $43.3 million project will include a 2-megawatt electrolyser for the production of green hydrogen using recycled water from Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant. It is intended to accelerate the commercial deployment of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in a diverse range of industries that are difficult to decarbonize. These services include road freight, public transportation, municipal trash management, water treatment, and general fleet management.
The project was funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) with a $22.8 million grant as part of ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program. It brings together a diverse group of industry partners who will operate an initial fleet of 15 hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles that will be refueled at the station. Additionally, the Victorian Government invested $1 million in the project under the Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund. We appreciate the cooperation of the Federal and State governments.
By providing a holistic solution for the delivery of hydrogen vehicles and the supply of hydrogen, the initiative stimulates demand for hydrogen while simultaneously developing infrastructure, overcoming the ‘chicken-and-egg’ problem that has historically been a major roadblock for the sector.
The project demonstrates the value of collaboration between industry and government in addressing carbon emissions in the commercial road transport sector.
Foundation partners deploying vehicles in the first year of the project include:
- Toll Group – two hydrogen-powered prime movers deployed for the delivery of liquid fuels from Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery to the Shell Coles Express service station network
- ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) – two hydrogen-powered buses for use on Geelong city commuter bus routes
- Cleanaway – two hydrogen-powered waste management vehicles for municipal waste collection in the Greater Geelong region
- Barwon Water – one hydrogen-powered prime mover for the collection of organic waste for recycling
CDC’s two FCEV buses will be produced and supplied by Australian manufacturer, Aluminium Revolutionary Chassis Company (ARCC). Viva Energy is in contact with a number of additional possible partners and manufacturers of hydrogen vehicles regarding the acquisition and delivery of the remaining vehicles.
Viva Energy CEO and MD Scott Wyatt stated that the company is thrilled to cooperate with long-term existing customers to demonstrate the critical role hydrogen will play in Australia’s transportation future.
“Our existing partners have come on this journey with us and we share their excitement about what it means for the future of zero-emissions transport,” Mr Wyatt said. “This project puts hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road to prove their value in day-to-day commercial operations while reducing the carbon footprint of the heavy vehicle transport we rely on every day.”
Mr Wyatt stated that while the Geelong station will initially operate on a back-to-base approach, Viva Energy expects that it will be the first of a network of hydrogen refueling stations positioned along critical transport corridors connecting Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
The project is directly related to Viva Energy’s recently declared sustainability objective of reaching net zero carbon emissions across the company by 2050, as well as its goal of assisting customers in meeting their own sustainability goals as the globe transitions to a new energy future.
Toll Group’s Managing Director, Thomas Knudsen, said: “Toll Group is proud to take a leadership position in the freight and logistics industry in exploring the commercial viability of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles as we demonstrate the value of alternative fuels to the industry and work towards reducing our carbon footprint. We are grateful for the funding support the New Energies Service Station project has received from both the Federal and Victorian governments. This project is an important step in Toll Group’s overall sustainability strategy.”
ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) CEO, Nicholas Yap, said ComfortDelGro has existing experience deploying hydrogen buses in London and is excited to partner with Viva Energy for CDC’s first hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric buses in Australia.
“At CDC we have consistently demonstrated our commitment to reducing emissions in transport with Australia’s first hybrid bus technology offering zone-based zero emissions,” Mr Yap said. “We see strong potential for hydrogen and importantly an eco-system of Australian based providers driving collectively toward a cleaner future for Australians. It is also great news for our customers in Geelong who will experience this exciting technology through their daily commute.”
Cleanaway CEO and MD, Mark Schubert, said that in the waste management industry, reducing the environmental impact and carbon footprint remains a top priority. “These hydrogen vehicles will not only help us decarbonise, but also assist our customers and the municipalities that we serve to achieve their carbon emissions reduction targets. Investing in new and emerging technologies is crucial to drive innovation towards making a sustainable future possible together,” he said.
Barwon Water Chair, Jo Plummer, said the connection with Viva Energy and the refinery in Geelong has been particularly close since the establishment of the recycled-water-industry-leading Northern Water Plant in 2013, which recycles domestic sewerage and industrial wastewater from Northern Geelong to offset potable water use at the refinery.
“The use of recycled water for the production of renewable hydrogen in the project is an important step in Barwon Water’s aims for the productive reuse of 100 per cent of the recycled water produced at our water reclamation plant,” Ms Plummer said.
“The funding for this vehicle is also a key step towards our net-zero emissions goal. As well as renewable energy, Barwon Water is decarbonising its fleet of maintenance and service vehicles. This project demonstrates the benefits of strategic partnerships and we are thrilled to help deliver Geelong’s first ever New Energies Service Station, and take a major step in greening our maintenance vehicle fleet as part of our Strategy 2030 aims to be net-zero emissions by 2030.”
