Barwon Water to investigate benefits of using oxygen created in hydrogen production

A new project involving Barwon Region Water Corporation and Viva Energy will look at the potential of pure oxygen – created when splitting water through electrolysis – to create mutual benefits for green hydrogen producers and wastewater treatment plant operators.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced on Thursday that it has committed up to $3 million to the Barwon Water-led project, which will use oxygen created at the nearby Viva Energy Hub, where a 2.5 megawatt electrolyser is being deployed.

Barwon uses oxygen in the aerobic processes at its wastewater treatment plant, with Managing Director Shaun Cumming calling the project an “exciting opportunity to reduce emissions from wastewater treatment.”

According to ARENA, the project will begin with a front-end engineering and design study “to determine the technical and commercial feasibility of using pure oxygen captured from an electrolyser in its wastewater treatment process”.

The second stage of the project, running for two years, will demonstrate the use of oxygen will be sourced from Viva Energy.

“This stage includes the detailed design and construction of infrastructure to collect oxygen from the oxygen vent stack on the electrolyser and transfer dried and compressed oxygen to a storage vessel at the [Northern Water Plant] via a new build underground pipeline” a project description on ARENA’s website explains.

ARENA said the project will help quantify “potential ancillary revenue” for green hydrogen makers via oxygen sales, with oxygen often discarded.

“This will highlight the application for green oxygen and enhance the commercial viability of renewable hydrogen, offering unique learnings in navigating the regulatory, technical and commercial aspects of oxygen offtake,” added the agency’s CEO Darren Miller.

Picture: Northern Water Plant (credit Barwon Water)