| 9 T T Richard Loader Stations part of nationwide rollout Hiringa Energy is currently developing four hydrogen refuelling stations in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Palmerston North. Hiringa Energy: Green Hydrogen Refuelling Network REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Entec Services Limited Specialists in hazardous area electrical & instrumentation Gas Detection • Switchboards • Prefabricated Plant Rooms • Control Panels Auckland • Taupo • Taranaki • South Island www.entec.co.nz • NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING • REFRACTORY DRY-OUTS • WELD PROCEDURES & QUALIFICATION • CRANE INSPECTION • PIPELINE CERTIFICATION • EWP INSPECTION • POST WELD HEAT TREATMENT • CERTIFIED WELDING INSPECTORS • PRESSURE EQUIPMENT INSPECTION • HERITAGE BOILER INSPECTION • IRIS TUBE INSPECTION • EDDY CURRENT INSPECTION (06) 281 1302 | 02102321911 peter.george@sentinelltd.co.nz 4 Cody Place, Waiwakaiho, New Plymouth Hiringa Energy’s development of four hydrogen refuelling stations currently underway in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Palmerston North is the first phase of a nationwide rollout to be completed over the next three to four years. Based in New Plymouth, Hiringa Energy’s genesis commenced in 2017, driven by the four founding partners’ desire to transition the existing energy industry to a low emission alternative, where hydrogen energy plays a key role. “We see hydrogen as part of the solution towards New Zealand’s decarbonisation, complementary to battery technology and other alternative fuel technologies,” says Matt Luscombe, Hiringa Energy’s Head of Developments and Projects. “It’s about finding hydrogen’s natural place which we see as the heavy transport sector due to its refuelling time, range and payload.” Hiringa Energy’s sights are set on refuelling those parts of the transportation sector where electrification and batteries are not a viable or practical solution, and where hydrogen offers a more commercially cost effective and practical alternative. “Hydrogen energy works very well for the big players that use diesel including the heavy transport, marine, aviation and industrial sectors. In the heavy transport sector there’s a grossly disproportionate amount of vehicle emissions. A truck uses 150 times the amount of fuel as a car, so decarbonising that sector has much more impact when you look at the capital required to transition the fleet.” Hiringa Energy’s decision about where to locate the initial four hydrogen production refuelling stations focused on where the heavy transport sector predominantly operates, and the amount of fuel emissions associated with that. “The vast majority of linehaul freight comes through those areas. We did a lot of work to overlay where the freight goes and where the renewable energy is generated. “Then it was looking at what highways the trucks go on, what makes sense for trucks to come in and out of. So the initial stations will be located in Auckland (Wiri), Hamilton (Te Rapa), Tauranga (Tauriko), and Palmerston North (by the airport). “That was quite strategic because we can cover 95% of New Zealand’s heavy linehaul freight routes from those sectors. We also partnered with Waitomo Group, to leverage their existing sites and where they wanted to locate new sites so that the forecourt costs could be shared. We will provide the equipment for hydrogen production and refuelling.” Each site will have an electrolyser that converts electrical energy into hydrogen. Most of the energy that the electrolyser consumes ends up being stored in the hydrogen, and that enables energy use to be time-shifted from generation. “At the moment if you were to plug your EV into a fuelling station at 8.00am, somewhere in the country there has to be a match of electricity generation, which could be through non-renewable energy. “With hydrogen you time-shift the renewable energy production to when the vehicle is fuelled. “So, in the middle of the night when the generation company is not burning coal and gas, and there is excess renewable energy around, Hiringa Energy is quietly making hydrogen and storing it for when that truck drives onto the forecourt at 8am and uses our hydrogen energy that was made off-peak. Refuelling takes about fifteen minutes, which is comparable to existing time frames for a diesel truck.” The first hydrogen station is expected to be operational by early Q4 this year, with the others following soon after and operational late this year/early next year. “TR Group, which specialises in the rental, lease, and maintenance of heavy commercial vehicles, has been another great partner,” says Matt. “They’ve taken on a big chunk of the enabling piece and with the support of the New Zealand Government have bought the initial trucks, which they will lease to a large number of companies.”
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