FACILITY

The facility features a highly innovative DC hydrogen microgrid, controlling one of Australia’s largest electrolysers, generating 100% renewable hydrogen from installed solar PV and verified renewable power from Tasmania’s electricity grid.

The Hydrogen Production & Research Facility uses a new, highly innovative DC microgrid which controls one of Australia’s largest electrolysers. It connects electricity flows between the PV panels, the battery, the hydrogen turbine, a clean electricity source for emulating wind and wave generators, and a programmable load to accurately model end-use scenarios for research purposes.

A 700 kW Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser delivered by ITM Power in the UK has been installed by Optimal Group, the first of its kind in Tasmania to draw on 100% renewable energy. The electrolyser splits purified water into hydrogen and oxygen and can generate up to 262 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen per day, equivalent to 11 kilograms per hour or 1.8 tonnes per week, producing zero carbon dioxide.

The Capstone 65 kW hydrogen-fuelled microturbine is a novel technology, and an alternative to employing a fuel cell to generate electricity from hydrogen. The microturbine is containerised and designed to work as a standalone power generation system which can be deployed in remote locations and to replace diesel-operated generation systems.

A low-pressure storage vessel levels out changes in the hydrogen flow from the electrolyser to the compressor and microturbine. The hydrogen buffer storage contains enough hydrogen to operate the turbine at maximum power for about one hour.

A compressor is used to compress low-pressure hydrogen into tube trailers supplied by BOC, for storage and distribution at high pressure and transported to end users.

Tube trailers supplied by BOC for storage and distribution of hydrogen at high pressure and transported to end users.