Page 7 - AsiaElec Week 43 2020

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

would continue to focus on core areas of support, counting on hydrogen to provide a compelling
including hydrogen blending in gas networks. counter-argument to full-scale electrification in
“We have identified 240 pieces of legislation Australia.
that might need to be changed. We have also Jemena in June to put hydrogen front and
directed AUD1.68mn [$1.2mn] to private and centre of the national energy strategy. Respond-
public sector entities to support feasibility stud- ing to the government’s Technology Investment
ies across seven proposed projects,” MacTiernan Roadmap (TIR), Jemena executive general
said at an industry event in Perth. manager of gas distribution Jennifer Purdie said
She flagged up AUD18mn ($12.83mn) in it was “time to challenge the notion that custom-
additional government funding for the hydro- ers can only access renewable energy through
gen sector, following the release of AUD10mn the electricity grid”.
($7.13mn) in conjunction with the launch of The company said its New South Wales gas
its Renewable Hydrogen Strategy. The minister network could be repurposed to sell zero-carbon
said the government had earmarked AUD5mn gases, arguing that this would be a cheaper solu-
($3.56mn) of the additional funds for grant tion than adapting the electricity grid to handle
awards, with a portion of these ring-fenced for the same load.
blending studies. Jemena is currently conducting a green
MacTiernan said: “We believe that blending hydrogen trial in NSW at the Western Sydney
into the existing gas reticulation system is going Green Gas Project. The project will convert solar
to be a really important way of developing this and wind power into hydrogen gas, which will
industry early and we are providing AUD1mn then be stored for use in the company’s NSW gas
($713,000) towards a detailed supply chain network.
study.” In addition to the cost benefits, green hydro-
MacTiernan called on commercial groups gen also acts as a more efficient storage option for
interested in producing or using renewable excess renewable power generation than batter-
hydrogen within the Oakajee Strategic Indus- ies. Advocates of the technology must still over-
trial Area (SIA) to submit expressions of inter- come several hurdles on the way to proving that
est (EoIs) before December 24. The government adopting 100% hydrogen networks is not only
has provisions in place to link the SIA to the possible but is also viable. One often cited issue
Dampier-to-Bunbury gas pipeline. is hydrogen embrittlement, wherein metal gas
She added that the government had brought pipes and appliances will crack, requiring pipe-
forward its target of hydrogen accounting for line and residential gas system upgrades.
10% of the state’s reticulated gas – liquid petro- Nevertheless, the federal government has
leum gas (LPG) that is delivered by pipeline – backed “clean” hydrogen – green hydrogen or
from 2040 to 2030. The minister added: “If we decarbonised blue hydrogen – with Austral-
kept 2040 as our target, we were going to be lag- ian Energy Minister Angus Taylor revealing in
gards rather than at the forefront.” September that the government had earmarked
AUD18bn ($12.72bn) of funding over the next
What next decade for a portfolio of low-emissions technol-
AGN and AGIG are not the only operators ogies, including hydrogen. ™

Week 43 28•October•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P7