The Victorian Government has announced the Neerim North mobile network renewable hydrogen back-up system to keep Victorians connected during emergencies and power outages.
Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio today launched the system, which will boost energy resilience during storms and other extreme weather events.
“Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap confirms that renewable hydrogen will play a critical, targeted role in the energy transition by strengthening energy resilience as we keep communities powered reliably and affordably,” said D’Ambrosio.
The 10-kilowatt renewable hydrogen generators will deliver up to 72 hours of back-up power and help maintain mobile coverage during power outages.
Hydrogen fuel cells work like batteries, producing electricity using the fuel supplied.
The fuel cell generator sets will be equipped with enough renewable hydrogen for a minimum 72-hour running capacity.
The Victorian Government invested $1.1 million into the Telstra Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot project, which has installed five hydrogen fuel cells in communities that have experienced extreme storms like Coldstream, Kinglake, Christmas Hills, and Chum Creek.
This pilot is one of the projects funded through the $6.6 million Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund.
Other companies like Volgren Australia, Viva Energy, Energys Australia, and Boundary Power are also undertaking hydrogen pilots, trials, and demonstrations as part of the programme.
In June 2023, Boundary Power successfully commissioned Australia’s first solar-renewable hydrogen standalone power system.
Similarly, Telstra is now trialling how renewable hydrogen can play a role in decarbonising energy supply and building energy resilience.
