Construction begins on Murray Valley hydrogen park that will help power border towns
The Hydrogen Park Murray Valley project, just outside Wodonga, is set to produce renewable hydrogen for 40,000 Albury-Wodonga homes and businesses through a $65.46 million initiative backed by government and industry collaboration.
The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association of Australia (GAMAA) announced today that construction has begun on the Hydrogen Park Murray Valley, a renewable hydrogen project led by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), with partners Longi Hydrogen, Energy Australia, Powernet, Valmec, and GPA Engineering.
The project is supported by funding from the Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change.
The project will feature a 10-megawatt electrolyser from LONGi Hydrogen, capable of generating around 500 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually. The hydrogen produced will be blended into the existing natural gas network, delivering up to 10% renewable gas by volume to around 40,000 homes and businesses in the Albury-Wodonga area.
This process is expected to avoid approximately 3,000 tonnes of emissions each year, without requiring any changes to existing appliances.
“This project shows how industry and government can work together to make renewable hydrogen on an industrial scale a reality by the end of this decade,” said GAMAA President Ross Jamieson.
The renewable hydrogen initiative is being heralded as a key step in reducing the carbon footprint of gas supply, supporting decarbonisation, and maintaining a viable hydrogen-ready gas network for households and businesses.
"The Murray Valley project underlines the importance of maintaining a viable hydrogen-ready distributed gas network which, together with new high-efficiency gas appliances, will significantly decarbonise gas supply to households and small businesses," said Mr Jamieson.
GAMAA members have been involved in industry research and the development of 100% renewable gas appliances since 2018, with a focus on safety and performance standards. “Safety is our industry’s first priority, and renewable gas appliances will be independently certified to this standard. Consumers can be assured that they will operate safely and reliably,” Jamieson added.
Australian gas appliance manufacturers, which produce over 60% of gas appliances sold domestically, are preparing for the transition to renewable gas. GAMAA members, employing about 4,000 people—many in regional areas—are ready to support this clean energy shift with Australian-made, high-efficiency appliances designed for local conditions.
To read more about the Hydrogen Park Murray Valley Project, go to the AGIG website here.
