Moreland City Council, in collaboration with hydrogen utility company H2U, has received $1 million in funding from the Victorian Government to implement a renewable hydrogen refuelling station which will support the transition to a zero-emissions fleet of local government vehicles.
The $9.37 million project will establish Australia’s first commercial-scale hydrogen refuelling station, which will produce hydrogen from 100 per cent renewable energy using an on-site solar plant and grid-sourced wind power.
This initiative is expected to create up to 15 ongoing full-time local jobs and has the potential to generate more than 100 indirect jobs.
The project will enable the council’s heavy vehicle fleet begin to transition to zero-emission Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “We’re investing in new energy technology to reduce greenhouse emissions and create jobs.
“The station will initially power the council’s waste collection vehicles, with the long-term aim of including its entire heavy fleet.”
Moreland City Council and H2U will also establish an education centre at the site, to create learning experiences for primary school, high school, and university students.
Construction of the refuelling station is expected to start in early 2018 and be fully operational – including 12 zero-emission waste collection vehicles – by early 2020.
Funding for the project has been provided through the second round of the Victorian Government’s $20 million New Energy Jobs Fund.
The Fund offers grants of between $20,000 and $1 million to support projects that increase the uptake of renewable energy, reduce emissions, and assist community groups to develop their own projects.
Round two of the New Energy Jobs Fund provided more than $6.7 million in grants to 21 successful projects.
