Countrywide Hydrogen intends supplying hydrogen directly to customers through its own branded refuelling stations, H2Co Energy.
“Our goal is to provide customers with the cheapest, easiest, quickest and most sustainable way to refuel their hydrogen emission-free vehicles – establishing ourselves in the retail market is the logical way to do this,” says Countrywide Hydrogen managing director Geoffrey Drucker..
The news is hot on the heels of Countrywide Hydrogen’s announcement it has selected three leading organisations to provide electrolysers, hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) and construction services.
The wholly owned renewable hydrogen subsidiary of ASX-listed ReNu Energy Limited has selected HRS supplier Fabrum to provide its H35 Hydrogen Refuelling Stations at Countrywide Hydrogen’s proposed Brighton (Hobart), Western Junction (Launceston) and Burnie sites offering 24/7 state-wide coverage and refuelling in minutes.
Plug Power, which provides comprehensive hydrogen solutions for the green hydrogen economy, has been selected as the supplier of two 5MW PEM electrolysers designed for up to 2100kg/day each of hydrogen production.
Wasco (Australia) has been selected as the construction contractor to work with Fabrum on the construction and balance of works on the projects in Tasmania.
“The combined announcements demonstrate Countrywide Hydrogen is progressing rapidly towards a final investment decision for its Tasmania Green Hydrogen projects, which are targeting first production and supply of hydrogen by mid-2025,” says Drucker.
“These equipment supplier selections serve to assure potential customers for our green hydrogen in Tasmania the projects are on track for first production and supply to coincide with fuel cell trucks, buses and cars being available from trusted brands.”
The move into the retail market with H2Co Energy is designed to reduce hydrogen’s overall cost to consumers by avoiding the additional margin imposed by a third-party reseller.
“H2Co Energy’s refuelling stations do not need complex infrastructure,” Drucker explains.
“Instead, they will have only an automated dispenser and be standalone without service station retail.”
Drucker says Countrywide Hydrogen envisages the hydrogen price should not be subject to the price fluctuations inherent to oil-based commodities on the basis that key operational costs for electricity and water will be known under medium to long term purchase agreements.
Countrywide has a target price for hydrogen that is competitive with or outperforms diesel, he adds.
“We believe we can deliver that based on the financial modelling undertaken to date.
“Transport operators that adopt hydrogen can then cease to be at the mercy of global oil interests while providing an emission-free transport service,” says Drucker.
“This gives road transport companies comfort with respect to future fuel costs as well as availability too, with hydrogen being produced locally.”
Hydrogen is expected to be available in Tasmania by mid-2025.
Countrywide Hydrogen earlier announced its collaboration with the Walkinshaw Group to supply fuel cell prime movers and rigid trucks provided by OEMs.
Expressions of interest in transitioning from diesel to fuel cell vehicles have come from 7R Logistics, which services some of the largest dairy interests in Australia.
The retail logistics, plantation timber, waste collection, mining, cement and livestock sectors are also target customers.
