ATCO’S HYDROGEN JOURNEY
We know that natural gas already delivers a lower-carbon alternative to many traditional energy sources, and we believe it is ideally placed to complement and further enable the continued implementation of intermittent renewable energy.
Clean Energy Innovation Hub (CEIH)
In 2019 we opened our world-class Clean Energy Innovation Hub (CEIH) in Jandakot, Western Australia with the support of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The Hub generates renewable hydrogen through electrolysis, and was a significant step in Western Australia’s moves towards a hydrogen economy.
The CEIH is providing valuable insights into how our extensive existing gas distribution infrastructure can continue to benefit customers as part of the future energy mix.
ATCO and Fortescue's Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS)
ATCO and Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) are collaborating on the construction and operation of a combined hydrogen production and refuelling facility at ATCO’s existing operations facility in Jandakot in the Perth metropolitan area, with the possibility of wider deployment across WA. The project has been awarded $1 million from the Western Australian Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund.
The project forms an exciting part of ATCO’s hydrogen journey towards decarbonisation, showcases hydrogen mobility in the State, and supports the transition to the next generation of zero-emission transport.
Renewable hydrogen in WA's gas network
Decarbonisation of the Western Australian gas network is another step closer with ATCO awarded almost $2M in funding from WA’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund to support a project to blend hydrogen into the network, lowering emissions for the West Australian community.
This project will be the largest of its kind in Australia, at around 2,700 connections, and will see renewable hydrogen blended into discrete sections of the WA gas distribution network. This will achieve the WA Government’s goal of distributing renewable hydrogen in the network by 2022, and take steps towards the longer term goal of blending up to 10 per cent network-wide by 2030.
Find out more about hydrogen blending.
COMPLEMENTARY ENERGY SOLUTIONS
We know that natural gas already delivers a lower-carbon alternative to many traditional energy sources, and we believe it is ideally placed to complement and further enable the continued implementation of intermittent renewable energy.
At the same time, we are committed to further reduce the carbon footprint of the gas distribution network and provide ongoing secure, reliable, affordable and low-carbon energy options. We are excited about these opportunities and believe it will help drive clean energy research and development that can have major long term benefits for consumers.
POWERING OUR PEOPLE
Change is coming and we’re making sure our workforce is prepared. By continually upskilling our people, we’re making sure WA will have the energy workforce to support new energy technology.
HYDROGEN
Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe and when combined with oxygen it makes water. A number of countries have been using hydrogen as a fuel source for many years including Japan, Iceland and Denmark because it offers a low emission alternative to other fuel sources.
Indeed, town gas which was used in the Perth region up until 1970’s was a mix of gases including 50% hydrogen. Like natural gas, hydrogen can be used to create electricity, stored for later use or exported. At the Clean Energy Innovation Hub we are continuing to investigate and test how we can blend hydrogen within our existing natural gas network.
The Clean Energy Innovation Hub and project draws on ATCO’s established expertise and safety in handling natural gas. ATCO will apply the same degree of rigour in our approach to the safe handling of hydrogen appropriate to the amount we will be producing, which at the Hub is about 10kg a day, roughly the same amount as a standard LPG barbecue gas bottle.
Our Jandakot Operations Centre is maintained regularly, subject to regular testing of all safety systems, is directly wired to the local fire station and is licensed by the State Government.
For more information contact us at hydrogen@atco.com
Fort Saskatchewan hydrogen blending
In a first of its kind project for Alberta, ATCO will blend hydrogen into a subsection of its Fort Saskatchewan natural gas distribution system at a concentration of five percent, by volume. Because combustion of hydrogen emits only water, blending hydrogen into natural gas reduces the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of the natural gas stream.
Hydrogen blending is common in other countries, including Australia, where ATCO’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub is already generating hydrogen energy with the help of solar power and delivering it through their existing gas network. In Alberta, ATCO will use hydrogen derived from natural gas, supporting the ongoing exploration and production of Alberta’s abundant natural gas resources and demonstrating the safe and effective blending of hydrogen into the natural gas distribution system.
Not only will this create a roadmap for substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the future, it will also bring many benefits to the Alberta economy and, most importantly, our customers.
ATCO and Southern California Gas Co project
Australia is proving its leadership position in the technical development and production of green hydrogen with the announcement that ATCO’s Australian-designed and engineered Clean Energy Innovation Hub (CEIH) technology is set to be exported to California following an agreement between ATCO and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas).
For more information visit our global hydrogen projects page.
Suncor and ATCO world-scale renewable hydrogen project
ATCO are collaborating with Suncor Energy on the early-stage design and engineering for a potential renewable hydrogen project near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. The project would produce more than 300,000 tonnes per year of clean hydrogen, reduce Alberta's CO₂ emissions by more than two million tonnes per year, significantly advance Alberta's hydrogen strategy, generate substantial economic activity and jobs across the province, and make a sizable contribution to Canada's net zero ambition.