The uptake of hydrogen to decarbonise the gas network in Australia and provide additional sources of renewable energy is anticipated to grow significantly in the coming years/decades as the energy industry navigates a transition for 'greener’, low carbon alternatives.
This will help ensure that developed nations can meet their environmental greenhouse gas emissions targets. With large amounts of renewables coming online, Australia is also emerging as a contender to supply the ‘green’ hydrogen export markets (in particular Japan and Korea).
In 2019, Osmoflo were successfully awarded a contract for a Demineralised Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA), a hydrogen production facility located in the Tonsley Innovation District, South Australia, and is being developed by Australian Gas Networks (AGN), part of Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG). Osmoflo have prior supported the Australian energy sector through providing demineralised WTPs for gas and coal-fired generators, however the drive for sustainable and renewable sources of energy has and continues to change the wider energy sector.
The HyP SA facility comprises a 1.25MW electrolyser which will produce hydrogen using water and renewable electricity. The renewable hydrogen will be blended with natural gas into the existing AGN gas network at volumes of up to 5% and supplied to approximately 700 nearby homes . This is an Australian-first project and the first step in AGIG’s vision to deliver renewable gas to customers.
Renewable hydrogen from the facility will also be used to supply industry via tube trailers under an agreement with a global industrial gas and engineering company. Hydrogen was produced onsite in December 2020 as part of the commissioning activities, with commercial operations expected to begin later in 2021.
Our involvement in this important project has drawn on Osmoflo’s expertise in the customised design, engineering, fabrication and supply of the WTP & ancillary equipment. To support this project and its development partners, Osmoflo’s installation supervision and commissioning services are incorporated to ensure a seamless transition into operations. The plant comprises of Reverse Osmosis (RO), Electrode-ionisation (EDI) and Mixed Bed Ion Exchange (IX) technologies for maintaining high quality demineralised water to generate hydrogen in the electrolyser by a process called electrolysis.
We expect this project becomes a stepping stone into a greener energy future and we are glad to have represented an environmentally sustainable project.
