Australian Gas Networks (AGN) has received development approval from the Gladstone Ports Corporation for the Hydrogen Park Gladstone (HyP Gladstone) project, which will produce hydrogen and blend it into AGN’s Gladstone gas distribution network.
HyP Gladstone is a key step in decarbonising existing natural gas supply and transitioning to a renewable energy future.
Gladstone will be the first city in Australia where the entire gas distribution network will supply customers with a blend of up to ten per cent (by volume) of renewable gas – about 700 customers connected to this network will benefit from the renewable gas blend.
Construction is expected to commence in June 2023, and the facility is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023.
AGIG’s Chief Executive Officer, Craig de Laine, has thanked the local community and state government for their support of this decarbonisation initiative.
“This is an exciting project that raises the benchmark for the domestic hydrogen industry of the future, building on our experience of safely and reliably delivering blended renewable hydrogen to our customers. HyP Gladstone is the first step in delivering the low carbon future of domestic gas supply in Queensland,” Mr de Laine said.
“We are grateful for the community’s interest and engagement on the project, and we are proud to have developed a design that meets their expectations and those of key project partners.”
Queensland Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Member for Gladstone, Glenn Butcher, said the project would create training opportunities for Central Queenslanders.
“If successful, this project would provide significant research and training opportunities in the Gladstone region and, importantly, serve as a proof-of-concept for further implementation of blended hydrogen gas projects across Australia,” Mr Butcher said.
HyP Gladstone is supported by Queensland Government funding of up to $1.78 million from the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund and is a key step in the development of a hydrogen industry under the Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy 2019–2024.
