Toyota Australia assembles first hydrogen-powered generator at Altona

Toyota Australia has announced that mining services company Thiess will take delivery of the first locally-assembled EODev GEH2 hydrogen fuel cell stationary power generator. 

The announcement was made on Thursday at Toyota’s Altona site – which hosted car assembly until October 2017 – by Toyota Australia’s President and CEO Matthew Callachor, marking completion of the first GEH2 generator made there.

According to a statement from the Japanese-headquartered company, the generator was designed by French company EODev, with support from Toyota Motor Europe, and uses the same Toyota Fuel Cell System that powers the Mirai FCEV. 

A partnership between Toyota and EODev on generator assembly, with these distributed through Blue Diamond Machinery, was announced in October last year.

Callachor said in a statement on Thursday that, “For Toyota, it’s part of our multi-pathway approach to decarbonisation by providing  Australian customers with a range of technologies and mobility solutions, including power  generation, that help reduce carbon emissions. 

“We are firmly committed to growing, and investing in, the hydrogen economy here in  Australia and I’m particularly pleased that Thiess is set to become our first customer for this  innovative hydrogen fuel cell generator.”

Thiess said it plans to use the generator in its mining operations in New South Wales, and is examining a second unit as part of its decarbonisation plans. 

Thiess Group Executive – Assets, Autonomy & Digital, Ramesh Liyanage said, “We’re pleased at the prospect of being the first customer to take the locally-assembled  hydrogen fuel cell generator unit and are excited to be partnering with Toyota once again,  this time on cutting-edge technology that has the power to shape a more sustainable future for the world.” 

Toyota plans to assemble up to 100 GEH2 generators over the next three years, and aims to produce 28 this year for customers largely in the  mining, construction and events sectors. 

Toyota announced plans in March 2019 to build a $7.4 million Hydrogen Centre  at the Altona site, in Melbourne’s west. It received $3.1 million in backing from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

Picture: credit Toyota Australia

Further reading

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