The H2Station, based at the Coregas Port Kembla industrial gas facility, was partly funded with a $500,000 grant from the NSW Government.
Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, said heavy road transport is a major carbon-emitting sector and Port Kembla is now leading the way towards a more diverse energy future following today's opening of the Coregas H2Station.
"The NSW Government is proud to have supported this world-leading project to refuel Australia's first hydrogen-powered heavy road vehicles under Round Four of the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund," Ms Moriarty said.
"The H2Station will be the first practical piece of enabling infrastructure towards de-carbonising the region’s 7,000 heavy vehicles as we move towards a cleaner, greener future."
Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast, Ryan Park, said Port Kembla is primed to become an epicentre for the emerging hydrogen sector in Australia.
“The H2Station will facilitate the introduction of zero emissions hydrogen powered trucks to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven to demonstrate the technology’s potential to improve energy security, create jobs and investment, and decarbonise the transport sector,” Mr Park said.
“Zero emissions trucks will be able to refuel at the Coregas refuelling station using hydrogen produced at Port Kembla and showcase the viability of introducing hydrogen-powered fleet vehicles to greater NSW.”
Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, said the project places Port Kembla at the forefront of the emerging global hydrogen industry.
“The hydrogen refuelling station represents an exciting opportunity to build our region’s skills and capacity in readiness for Australia’s zero emissions economy,” Mr Scully said.
Alan Watkins, Executive General Manager of Coregas, said the Coregas H2Station will provide the Illawarra region with the opportunity to refuel up to 10 zero emissions hydrogen vehicles a day.
“Thanks to the NSW Government we have been able to achieve this milestone of opening Australia’s first pilot hydrogen refuelling station for heavy vehicles,” Mr Watkins said.
“We believe this project is a game changer for Australia that will lead the clean mobility revolution by demonstrating the suitability of hydrogen powered vehicles as a commercially ready solution.
“For us, this is an important first step towards transitioning Coregas’ distribution fleet.”
Coregas was one of 15 projects to share in $2.1 million in funding through Round Four of the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund.
The fund is a competitive, merit-based program that financially supports projects that revitalise Port Kembla and surrounding areas for the benefit of the community.
About the project:
- This will be Australia’s first hydrogen refuelling station that is purpose-built for commercial heavy road transport vehicles such as trucks and buses.
- $2 million has been spent on the project, including $500,000 in NSW Government funding.
- Existing hydrogen refuelling stations, designed to refuel passenger vehicles, have around 20kg/day capacity. This project has daily capacity of 400kg of hydrogen.
- The facility will enable the deployment of Australia’s first prime mover fleet of hydrogen-powered heavy road vehicles to initiate a transformation of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region’s environmental transport footprint.
- The station will work to support the introduction of zero emissions hydrogen powered fleet vehicles in greater NSW.
