ATCO Achieves 10% Hydrogen Blend In Part Of Gas Network.
ATCO Australia has achieved a significant milestone on the Western Australia’s main gas distribution network by blending up to 10% hydrogen to around 3,000 homes connected to the natural gas network in Calleya, Treeby and Glen Iris in the City of Cockburn.
As part of ATCO’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions, ATCO has been blending renewable hydrogen into a portion of the gas distribution network as part of its Hydrogen Community Blending Project.
In 2019, ATCO was awarded almost $2 million in funding to support the establishment of the Clean Energy Innovation Hub (CEIH) at its Jandakot Operations Centre as part of the WA Government’s goal of distributing hydrogen into the WA gas network by 2022.
ATCO’s CEIH is an operational model of solar, battery and renewable hydrogen production through electrolysis, in which renewable hydrogen is produced from the vast array of solar panels on site to generate electricity which powers an electrolyser to create the renewable hydrogen.
Russell Godsall, Executive General Manager Gas Operations, said:
blending 10% into the natural gas network was a remarkable milestone, with safety and reliability at the forefront of all decision making.
“Since this project commenced, our team has worked closely with regulators in this new and evolving area for the gas industry,” Mr Godsall said.
“The project really demonstrates the potential for other gases to play a vital role to play in Australia’s energy transition.
“From a customer perspective the use of gas in their homes has been unchanged with the hydrogen blending having no impact to modern residential appliances.
“While we’re delighted at the progress we’ve made by increasing the proportion of the hydrogen blend, we’re also looking at the potential in the future.
“We now have 100% hydrogen appliances in the ATCO demonstration hybrid home at Jandakot, where we are demonstrating that renewable gas is a serious consideration for our energy transition.”
ATCO Australia CEO John Ivulich said implementation of amendments to the National Gas Law and Rules into Western Australia would greatly assist the adoption of nascent clean fuels in the energy mix.
John Ivulich, ATCO Australia CEO, said:
Australia’s Energy Ministers have previously agreed to amendments to the National Gas Law and Regulations to bring hydrogen, biomethane and other renewable gases under the national gas regulatory framework, which is an indication of the confidence our leaders have in these fuels to be part of the energy transition.
“Moreover, establishing a renewable gas target covering hydrogen, biomethane and renewable synthetic methane could support emissions reduction from the use of natural gas.”
Mr Ivulich said ATCO recently entered a landmark collaboration agreement with ASX-listed Delorean Corporation to work together to connect Delorean’s bioenergy projects to ATCO’s gas infrastructure.
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, which is presently non-binding, ATCO will facilitate the integration and connection of selected Delorean bioenergy infrastructure projects into ATCO’s Gas Distribution System (GDS).
The agreement could enable the supply of biomethane to ATCO from these facilities, helping fulfill ATCO’s regulatory commitment to purchase gas to make up for system losses (unaccounted for gas).
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ATCO Achieves 10% Hydrogen Blend In Part Of Gas Network. source
