Energy infrastructure company, Jemena has signed a new deal to supply Australia’s emerging zero emission vehicle industry with renewably generated green hydrogen, taking hydrogen vehicles one step closer to Sydney’s roads.

One wheel closer, if you will.

Jemena has committed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Australia and Coregas, to produce and deliver hydrogen gas to Hyundai’s Macquarie Park headquarters from early 2021.

Jemena managing director Frank Tudor says the deal will make hydrogen gas, generated from solar and wind power, available to the vehicle industry: “A lack of critical refueling infrastructure is regularly cited as a hand-brake to hydrogen vehicle sales.

“Our agreement with Hyundai and Coregas releases some of that pressure and is an opportunity to demonstrate that renewably generated hydrogen gas can be made directly available to the vehicle and transport sectors.

“The MOU also signals the wider community benefits of our Western Sydney Green Gas project and demonstrates the value of renewable gas to Australia’s transport industry.”

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, which runs the motor. Hydrogen-powered FCEVs can travel much further than pure EVs and have an approximate range of 650km.

As part of the deal, Coregas will provide the compressor, pipework and connectors for filling and discharging hydrogen.

Frank adds that hydrogen gas for transport will be generated as part of Jemena’s $15 million Western Sydney Green Gas project (which is being 50% funded by ARENA).

In addition to supporting the hydrogen vehicle industry, the project will also produce hydrogen from solar and wind power and test how hydrogen gas can be stored and used across Jemena’s New South Wales gas network.

“We are demonstrating that electrolysers not only produce safe and green hydrogen gas to blend with natural gas for home appliances, but that they also enable hydrogen to be made available for zero-emission transportation,” he says.