Green hydrogen heavy transport project gets new funding boost in Tasmania

Australian renewable hydrogen project developer Countrywide Hydrogen has secured an $8 million funding deal with the Tasmanian government to advance its flagship green hydrogen project in the state.

Countrywide says the funding through the government’s Green Hydrogen Price Reduction Scheme will help the company take a “material step forward” on its Hydrogen HyWay#1 project, which aims to deliver Australia’s first end-to-end hydrogen transport ecosystem.

HyWay#1 will incorporate two 5MW green hydrogen production and refuelling facilities – one in the north of Tasmania at Wesley Vale, 10km east of Devonport, and a second facility in the south, at Brighton, 20km north of Hobart.

Each refuelling station will consist of two 350 bar dispensers capable of supplying up to 690,000kg of green hydrogen per annum, which equates to refuelling around 33 fuel cell trucks per day.

“With first production targeted for early 2026 at both sites, we have a book of customers ready to transition to hydrogen-powered vehicles in the heavy transport sector, and a Hydrogen HyWay model that can be copied and pasted throughout the nation,” said Geoff Drucker, managing director Countrywide Hydrogen.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff says the funding for HyWay#1 is a crucial step towards realising Tasmania’s vision of becoming a leader in green hydrogen production.

“It will be part of the next great evolution of our economy, capitalising on our great tradition of zero-emissions energy production to create the renewables jobs of the future,” he said.

Countrywide Hydrogen, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASX-listed energy company ReNu Energy, currently has four green hydrogen projects under development in Australia and another in Southeast Asia.

The company is also planning a third facility near Launceston to be delivered within 12 to 24 months of the commissioning of the first two facilities.  

Nick Duigan, Tasmania’s minister for energy and renewables, says the funding will help green hydrogen be sold at a price that competes with diesel.

“Countrywide will receive funding on a per kilogram basis of green hydrogen sold to end-users to cover the gap between the cost to produce the green hydrogen and what end-users are able to pay,” said Duigan.

“By supporting initiatives like this, we ensure a stable sale price for green hydrogen, bringing more stability for end-users and advancing our renewable energy objectives.”