New Zealand gets its first green hydrogen fast refueling station

The location is the result of a new project partnership between Coregas NZ and Halcyon

Coregas NZ and Halcyon have partnered to bring the first ever green hydrogen fast refueling station to New Zealand, where it is located at Wiri, South Aukland.

The new site is a part of an expanding national H2 network

The green hydrogen rapid refueling station is located at the Coregas NZ Manukau site. It provides heavy-duty vehicles with fast H2 refueling as a part of the growing overall network in the country.  In fact, it is expected to play an important role in that overall infrastructure.

Halcyon is central to the establishment and growth of the H2 fueling network in New Zealand. It has been working with other early adopters to ensure that the H2 is available for those who have chosen to use fuel cell vehicles to help decarbonize their fleets.

Producing green hydrogen in New Zealand

Starting with the first green hydrogen production facility in New Zealand, Halcyon has been pushing forward with this clean energy to ensure it is available to meet the rising demand in the country.  Halcyon is a joint venture between Tūaropaki Trust and Obayashi Corporation. 

The facility opened in 2021 at the Mōkai geothermal power plant located to the north-west of Taupō.  It has a 180 metric ton production capacity per year, powering its H2 producing processes with the renewable electricity generated by the Tūaropaki Power Company, which offers low-carbon credential traceability.

Since that clean H2 production facility first opened, Obayashi and Tūaropaki Trust have found that it is critical to locate H2 refueling stations as close to main trucking routes as possible. This explains why they chose to position their green hydrogen refueling station at Coregas’ location in Manukau as opposed to installing it right at the production facility.

Meeting green hydrogen refueling compliance requirements

Beyond providing the refueling site’s location, Coregas also provided integral experience in the manufacturing and supply of H2 when it came to ensuring that the project met technical and compliance requirements. Australia’s recent H2Station launch was used to inform the way Halcyon’s needs could be met in launching its own heavy-duty vehicle H2 refueling station.

By using the express refueler technology from Halcyon, Coregas NZ was able to combine it with its own expertise in H2 distribution while integrating into the early refueling network in New Zealand. 

According to Coregas NZ General Manager Peter Neate, the country’s transport and trucking sector is still largely untapped as an opportunity for H2-powered heavy-duty vehicles, which will be able to use rapid refueling for quicker, lighter long-distance solutions combined with high payload capability.

Closing thoughts

Coregas NZ has made a substantial investment into green hydrogen distribution and storage.  They feel it is critical to establish a strong supply chain supported by a reliable infrastructure if early adopters are to see H2 as a viable path to decarbonization.  They have used key technical knowledge and compliance experience to move this project forward and bring it to reality.

Moreover, the company also recently purchased their own Toyota Mirai, which they have nicknamed their H2Motuka.  This is meant to reflect the company’s first step in adopting its own entire fleet’s clean energy options.

The new green hydrogen refueling station provides H2 vehicle drivers the opportunity to obtain their fuel from a station with a single source, keeping costs down via economies of scale. Moreover, as the H2 is produced locally, it helps to ensure greater reliability, avoiding some of the supply chain issues experienced in other early H2 refueling networks.

Additionally, the refueler is not set in place. It can be relocated as the needs of its customers change, ensuring that the infrastructure can adapt as the market evolves and takes shape.

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