Page 11 - AsiaElec Week 09 2021

AsiaElec HYDROGEN AsiaElec

APA to convert gas pipeline to 100% hydrogen

AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN energy infrastructure opera- Wheals said: “With billions of dollars invested
tor APA Group has unveiled plans to convert a in gas infrastructure across the country, it makes
43-km section of a natural gas pipeline in West- sense to look at ways to use our existing energy
ern Australia into the country’s first fully hydro- infrastructure to support Australia’s transition to
gen-ready transmission pipeline. a low-carbon future.”
APA said that the pilot project, the first He added: “Studies have shown that con-
under the company’s alternative energy solu- tinuing to use gas infrastructure can reduce
tions programme, would allow the Parmelia emissions at half the cost to customers than elec-
Gas Pipeline to join the limited ranks of existing trifying the services provided by gas.”
gas transmission pipelines that are also 100% Australia’s peak gas industry bodies, includ-
hydrogen-ready. ing the likes of Australian Petroleum Production
The AUD3mn ($2.4mn) project will fund & Exploration Association (APPEA) and Aus-
laboratory research and testing into material tralian Pipelines and Gas Association, released a
embrittlement, the development of safe operat- report towards the end of September 2020 high-
ing guidelines and full-scale testing on-site. lighting the “pivotal role gas and gas infrastruc-
Hydrogen embrittlement, wherein metal gas ture” could play in a low-carbon energy future.
pipes and appliances crack – requiring pipe- “Gas Vision 2050: Delivering a Clean Energy
line and residential gas system upgrades – is a Future” concluded that using hydrogen to reach
frequently cited hurdle to the adoption of 100% net-zero emissions would cost half as much as
hydrogen networks. electrification. The group’s roadmap envisions
APA said it had partnered with Future Fuels the country transitioning to 100% hydrogen
Cooperative Research Centre and Wollongong networks by 2050.
University on the engineering research side of APA said it would work with the WA gov-
the project. A new laboratory is being established ernment and the state’s Economic Regulation
at Wollongong University to test materials “rep- Authority during the testing phase to demon-
resentative of the pipeline” under pressurised strate the safety of hydrogen transmission
hydrogen gas conditions. pipelines.™
APA CEO and managing director Rob
Itochu, Air Liquide H2 partnership in Japan

JAPAN JAPAN’S Itochu and France’s Air Liquide have technology portfolios and know-how across the
formed a strategic joint venture to create a entire hydrogen value chain,” he added.
hydrogen value chain in Japan covering both The new venture aims to take advantage of
production and utilisation of the fuel. the Japanese government’s desire for the country
Itochu and Air Liquide aim to set up new pro- to become a net-zero economy by 2050.
duction facilities that will supply demand for the The government strategy, called the Green
gas in both the transport sector and industry in Growth Strategy Towards 2050 Carbon Neu-
major metropolitan areas across the country. trality, calls for hydrogen to contribute to the
It aims to serve both the passenger and com- decarbonisation of various part of the economy.
mercial vehicle (trucks, buses) sectors. Commercial fuel cell vehicles such as trucks
They will explore ways to forge a competitive are also attracting special attention in the area of
hydrogen production and supply network. hydrogen utilisation in the transportation sector,
The companies will try to expand the new the where there are rising expectations.
hydrogen business abroad, aiming to establish a The government has also clarified its policy
world-class hydrogen value chain in anticipation of achieving 100% e-vehicles in new car sales by
of future hydrogen imports to Japan. 2035, which is expected to spur the widespread
“The fight against climate change is at the adoption of fuel cell vehicles.
heart of Air Liquide’s strategy. Hydrogen is pro- The collaboration will leverage the exper-
jected to play a key role in supporting energy tise and technologies of Air Liquide across the
transition and the emergence of a carbon-neu- hydrogen supply chain and the large footprint of
tral society,” said François Abrial, a member of Itochu across multiple energy sectors, from fuel
the Air Liquide Group’s executive committee retail businesses to renewable energy production
supervising Asia-Pacific. plants.
“With this collaboration, we seek to jointly Itochu said it aimed to demonstrate its com-
accelerate the development of hydrogen mobility prehensive capabilities to promote the develop-
markets in Japan, leveraging our complementary ment of the hydrogen market.™

Week 09 03•March•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P11