A report outlining how the City of Cockburn could produce green hydrogen power to replace fossil fuels such as diesel used by its heavy waste truck fleet has been published by the State Government.
Minister for Hydrogen Industry Alannah MacTiernan recently approved the publication and release of the Knowledge Sharing Report which was made possible with a $149,412 first round grant in 2019 from the Western Australian Renewable Hydrogen Fund.
The grant is administered by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation with the City funding the balance of the $325,704 feasibility study which explores development of a green hydrogen plant at the City’s Henderson Waste Recovery Park.
City of Cockburn Chief of Operations Anton Lees said the completion and publication of the Final Knowledge Sharing Report was another step towards the City’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
“The City’s vision for 2030 under its Strategic Community Plan is to be a leader in sustainable environmental management, including waste, water and energy,” Mr Lees said.
“While this encompasses action on climate change, it also looks after our local economy by increasing investment and providing local employment.
“In 2020, Cockburn Council endorsed the City’s Climate Change Strategy 2020-2030 which aims for 100 per cent of non-hazardous waste to be diverted from landfill by 2030, in line with the State Government-endorsed waste hierarchy where avoidance of waste generation is the most preferred option.
“The strategy also includes bold aspirational targets for 2030 including corporate targets of net zero emissions and a transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity.
“To help fight climate change, the City aspires to become carbon neutral and transition to a zero-emissions vehicle fleet.”
Mr Lees said the next phase would be for the City to identify ways to lower the cost of hydrogen to support the project. This could include investigating state and federal funding opportunities, partnerships with technology suppliers and heavy waste vehicle manufacturers to reduce capital and operating expenditure and optimise plant design.
The feasibility study explores how the proposed Henderson hydrogen project could economically displace the City’s fossil fuel use with green hydrogen produced on site.
The study, by GHD Pty Ltd, successfully develops a design for an on-site greenfields solar field and green hydrogen plant, which also makes use of existing landfill gas power, to refuel heavy vehicles.
The study recommends the City undertake a staged plant expansion to allow a lower up-front capital investment, to build capability with a smaller scale plant, and leverage potential future cost reductions of hydrogen technologies.
Read the study on the WA Government website
here.