H2X goes to market with hydrogen electricity generators

H2X Global said the Australian-developed 5 kW fuel cell generator, which uses hydrogen to generate electricity with zero emissions, has been sold to the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) for use at its new $20 million Hydrogen Centre of Excellence in Queensland.

The Power H2 unit, which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and comes equipped with a small hydrogen storage tank, will be installed at the PICAC facility being developed at Beenleigh in the state’s southeast. Due to open next month, the centre will serve as Australia’s first dedicated training facility for training jobs of the future in hydrogen.

H2X Global chief executive Brendan Norman said the sale of the demonstration model marked a turning point for the use of renewable energy in emergency and off-grid power supply.

“We have developed a range of fuel cell generators delivering differing power outputs to be the alternative to fossil-fuel generators in the energy transition to zero emissions,” he said. “The generator is a turnkey hydrogen power solution with a zero-emissions operation.”

Norman said the hydrogen fuel cell gensets, which will be available in sizes ranging from 2 to 100 kW capacity, are ideal as a back-up power system for hospitals and businesses, or a power provider for off-grid locations such as construction and mine sites.

“The H2X generators are ideally suited to replace standard petrol or diesel generators, allowing you to switch to an emission-free hydrogen fuel cell operation,” he said.

The sale of the demonstration model was overseen by Sydney-based company Pure Hydrogen, which owns a 23% stake in H2X Global.

“This power generation unit has at its heart, a hydrogen fuel cell and a powertrain that have been developed over several years,” Pure Hydrogen managing director Scott Brown said.

“This technology is at the forefront of the hydrogen revolution, and it is great to see it being implemented commercially.”

ASX-listed Pure Hydrogen expects to receive about $55,000 from the sale of the generator and supply of hydrogen in the first year.

While the transaction is the first sale of a Power H2 unit in Australia, H2X said it has sold generator units into Malaysia and to buyers in the Netherlands. The company said it is currently gaining the required certification for the generator to allow its sale for public use.