Australian energy infrastructure company Jemena and Spanish company Solarig have agreed to collaborate to assess the feasibility and facilitate the supply of renewable hydrogen to gas users connected to Jemena’s network.
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The MoU between Solarig and Jemena focuses first on the development of hydrogen production and blending facilities in regional New South Wales, which will initially inject up to 35Tj of renewable hydrogen per year into Jemena’s New South Wales gas distribution network.
If successful, both parties will work to further develop additional renewable hydrogen initiatives helping to build Australia’s renewable hydrogen market, and positioning NSW as a prominent national and international hub.
Jemena will undertake feasibility assessments for renewable hydrogen to be blended into the network so it can be used by homes, businesses, and industrial customers downstream of the injection site.
Jemena managing director David Gillespie said, “Australia is right in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to decarbonise our energy sector. But we know there is not one silver bullet that is going to help us reach our emission reduction targets.
“We are going to need a mix of renewable energy fuels to ensure Australia can reach net zero, while still delivering safe and reliable energy. Forming these types of relationships is essential to developing a robust renewable gas sector.”
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The Solarig project in regional NSW is one of the first commercial renewable hydrogen facilities proposed for connection to the Jemena network and, subject to meeting the pre-feasibility requirements, will be one of the first commercial renewable hydrogen blending projects in Australia.
