Victoria backs hydrogen vehicle refuelling hub

The Victorian government is backing CSIRO and Swinburne University of Technology in a joint venture to establish a ‘Victorian Hydrogen Hub’ and ultimately build a hydrogen refuelling station for fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Government funding worth more than $1 million will be set aside for the refuelling station, which will be located at CSIRO’s campus in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton.

This facility will refuel vehicles undergoing tests and trials on public roads.

Discrete from the refuelling station, the facility will also be a hydrogen production and storage demonstration plant, where CSIRO’s latest work in this field can be seen.

The Victorian Hydrogen Hub (or VH2, as it’s known) is another step in developing a viable supply chain for FCEVs (FCEVs), including the new Toyota Mirai and Hyundai NEXO that are available for business and fleet purchase.

It’s seen as an important component of CSIRO’s ‘Hydrogen Industry Mission’ supporting a hydrogen industry that proponents claim could create more than 8000 new jobs and add $11 billion a year to Australia’s GDP.

“As Australia considers energy alternatives, we know hydrogen is clean and will be cost-competitive – but a major barrier to it becoming a fuel source for cars and trucks is how to refuel, and the lack of refuelling infrastructure,” said Nigel Warren, executive director of growth at CSIRO.

“The refueller is a significant step towards removing that barrier.”

Toyota Australia, which is developing its own hydrogen infrastructure at its former Altona car assembly plant in Melbourne’s west, has also raised its hand to be involved in VH2.

“This is a significant step towards having the necessary refuelling infrastructure to help grow hydrogen opportunities in Australia,” said Toyota’s manager of future technologies, Matt MacLeod.

“Toyota Australia is delighted to support the development of this new hydrogen refuelling station in Victoria with next-generation Mirai FCEVs.”

The CSIRO announcement dovetails with the federal government’s ‘Future Fuels’ discussion paper released last week.

Within the context of that plan, FCEVs could complement battery-electric vehicles in providing the longer range and convenient refuelling that Australians demand, leaving batter-electric vehicles for short-haul motoring in urban areas.