Daintree edges closer to Australia first renewable-only microgrid, with help from green hydrogen

One Step Off The Grid

Queensland’s world heritage-listed Daintree region could be the site of an Australian-first solar power to hydrogen gas-based microgrid, with newly announced federal government funding tipped to help make the 100 per cent renewable project shovel ready.

As we reported here, the Morrison government last week unveiled plans to underwrite the establishment of up to 50 “affordable and reliable” renewable microgrids around the country, via a new $50.4 million purpose-built fund.

In a statement, federal energy minister Angus Taylor singled out the Daintree project as one which the government hoped would be helped to investment stage by the new fund, and that the assistance would help foster new forms of microgrid “ownership.”

Federal member for Leichardt, Warren Entsch, described the news of the fund as “absolutely fantastic” for the prospects of the 100 per cent renewables Daintree project, which he said he “had no doubt” would get the green light.

According to Russell O’Doherty, president of Daintree Renewable Energy Inc, the proposed project would use cutting edge hydrogen technology that would see residents feed power from their rooftop solar into a reticulated microgrid and get credits for their power.

“This power will be used to help power the hydrogen cell; the hydrogen gas produced will be collected and stored and used to fuel large scale generators. The only by product of this system is hot water,” he told local paper Newsport.

Read the full story on RenewEconomy sister site One Step Off The Grid…