Gas and engineering company BOC has partnered with Toyota to produce a new $7.4 million Hydrogen Centre at Altona in Melbourne’s west.
The hydrogen filling station installed by BOC will dispense green hydrogen produced through electrolysis powered by on-site solar and battery storage.
It is claimed to be capable of filling a Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric car in approximately three minutes, and can also be used to dispense hydrogen to buses and forklifts.
BOC South Pacific Managing Director John Evans said the completion of the Toyota Hydrogen Centre was a significant milestone that would advance hydrogen mobility in Victoria and support Toyota’s ambition for zero emissions from its sites by 2050.
“BOC is proud to be sharing our global technical expertise and delivering world-leading hydrogen filling technologies that support Toyota in demonstrating zero emissions hydrogen that will play an important role in decarbonising transport in Australia,” said Evans.
“Hydrogen mobility infrastructure is already well-established globally with Linde having installed more than 180 hydrogen filling stations worldwide which are responsible for over 1.5 million successful car filling events,” he said.
Evans said this hydrogen filling station will help build community confidence and understanding of this emerging technology, with Toyota playing an important role in educating the public about how hydrogen can play a significant role in transport and the broader energy supply chain.
“BOC is committed to working with industry and government to build hydrogen mobility demand particularly in metropolitan locations, which will help stimulate more investment in hydrogen production and refuelling stations across Australia,” he said.
Toyota Australia President and CEO Matthew Callachor said the Toyota Hydrogen Centre was built to showcase the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology as part of its commitment to developing sustainable technologies for future mobility and energy needs.
“Globally, Toyota is committed to achieving zero CO2 emissions from its vehicles and plants under the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 and the commissioning of our hydrogen refilling facility at Altona is an important step towards achieving that goal,” said Callachor.
“By demonstrating the viability of renewably-produced hydrogen as an automotive and energy source through this project, Toyota and its partners in government and business are pioneering a cleaner, more sustainable future that will encourage the further acceptance of this technology.
“We would like to thank our government partners for their assistance in bringing this project to fruition and those progressive forward-thinking business partners who will lease the 20 Mirai sedans we have brought into Australia to prove that hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles can, and will, play an important role in helping move us towards a more sustainable and greener future,” he said.
BOC and Toyota are founding members of the Australian Hydrogen Council, and are also currently partnering to facilitate a fleet trial of Toyota HFCEVs in Western Australia.