Build on existing infrastructure

Making the most of current infrastructure can lead to success for hydrogen.

Building on existing infrastructure is an opportunity to support the hydrogen industry as it helps reduce costs and accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies. By using existing infrastructure such as pipelines, storage facilities and transportation networks, the cost of developing new hydrogen facilities can be reduced.

One example is repurposing existing natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen which can reduce the need for new pipeline infrastructure. Hydrogen can be injected into the pipelines, blending it with natural gas, before being transported to end-users. The proportion of hydrogen in the blend can range from 5% – 20% hydrogen by volume, however using clean hydrogen to replace just 5% of the volume of a countries’ natural gas supply would significantly increase demand for hydrogen and drive down costs.

In Western Australia, a recent feasibility study examined the potential to blend hydrogen into the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline. Whilst there are still further hurdles to overcome, especially related to regulatory issues, pipeline sections were identified as good candidates for hydrogen blending.

Interestingly, one of the main factors determining suitability related to the pressure that the pipelines operate at, with lower pressures required. Hydrogen blending cannot be done when the main gas line operates near its maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) and may only become suitable if utilisation declines and the operating pressure drops¹.

^{1 – AGIG (2022) Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline – Public Knowledge Sharing Report.}

Your task

Read the renewable gas page from the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group’s low carbon strategy and consider the range of projects under way. Do you think that these projects have the potential to make a significant impact in the successful approach of renewable gas?

References

_{AGIG, (2022) Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline – Public Knowledge Sharing Report, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, Western Australian Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund, Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.}

_{AGIG (n.d.) Renewable Gas – Our low carbon strategy, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group.}