Australia-based Global Energy Ventures (GEV) and Pacific Hydro Australia Developments Pty Ltd (Pacific Hydro) have executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore opportunities regarding the production, storage, loading, ground and marine transportation of green hydrogen produced by Pacific Hydro’s Ord Hydrogen Project.

Both parties will work collaboratively on developing an export market and associated marine transport solution for green hydrogen utilizing GEV’s proprietary compressed hydrogen ship (C-H₂ ship) and supply chain.

Pacific Hydro operates the Ord Hydro Plant, located at Lake Argyle, Western Australia, which has the capacity to supply 30MW of renewable power to the local market. Pacific Hydro completed a feasibility study utilizing electricity generated by the Ord Hydro Plant to produce green hydrogen via electrolysis, and assessed market offtake to domestic and future export markets.

Location of the Ord Hydrogen Project & proximity to export markets.

The location provides a suitable opportunity for hydrogen production, utilizing low-cost, high-availability, dispatchable renewable generation and abundant access to water. The Ord Hydrogen Project is also located near two ports in northern Australia with export potential for green hydrogen to Asian markets.

The Ord Hydrogen Project has received funding support from the Western Australia Renewable Hydrogen Fund.

Under the MoU, the two companies will also explore terms for an offtake and/or transportation agreement or similar contract in respect of the marine transportation of green hydrogen produced by the Ord Hydrogen Project and work towards developing a business plan and identifying relevant stakeholder approvals and endorsements.

The MOU has a term of four years.

Global Energy Ventures Ltd was founded in late 2016 with its primary focus being the development of integrated Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) marine transport solutions with the company’s construction ready CNG Optimum ship.

GEV has also introduced the world’s first large-scale compressed hydrogen ship (C-H₂ Ship) design that will support the transport of hydrogen. The proprietary design for the containment system is made up of two large (20 meter diameter) tanks, contained within the hull of the ship, that will store ambient temperature hydrogen at an operating pressure of 3,600 psi (250 bar) and will have a combined storage capacity of 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen.

The design of the C-H₂ ship will also allow for the evaluation of smaller capacity ships for demonstration or pilot scale export projects.

One of the key considerations in designing a steel tank for storing hydrogen, is that the hydrogen molecule is so small it can enter the steels molecular structure and over time can cause the steel to suffer from embrittlement. A practical way to avoid hydrogen embrittlement is to provide a liner that prevents migration of hydrogen into the steel.

Technical requirements for such a large tank mean that it needs to be constructed in layers. Stainless steel will be used as the innermost layer, being resistant to hydrogen embrittlement, with six surrounding layers of ductile high-strength alloy steel to meet strength and fatigue requirements.

One significant advantage of a tank made from multiple discrete layers is that should a crack form in one layer it will not naturally proceed through to the adjacent layer. This greatly improves the safety of the tank.

With the rapid advancements in both marinized fuel cells and hydrogen internal combustion engines, GEV intends to fuel the ship with hydrogen available from the containment systems, providing a zero-carbon shipping solution.

GEV says that it remains on track with the first stage of class approvals with ABS to achieve Approval in Principle (AIP) anticipated for the first half of 2021. The achievement of AIP will be a major step to advancing the technical feasibility of the proposed C-H₂ Ship.

The successful outcome of the AIP will demonstrate that there are no identified showstoppers that would prevent construction and operation of the ship. The program will include a preliminary Hazard Identification (HAZID) analysis to identify any significant potential hazards and the future design work to mitigate these risks.

Following the successful achievement of AIP, GEV will begin discussions with suitable shipyards for estimates of capital cost and schedule for construction. The next development phase for C-H₂ will include further engineering and design work in parallel with prototype testing, with the target for ABS full design class approvals in the 1H 2022.