AWU visits Western Sydney Hydrogen Facility

A $15 million demonstration project in Western Sydney is showing how green hydrogen could eventually put a lid on soaring domestic gas prices while helping Australia transition to a low-carbon future.

The Western Sydney Green Gas Project, at Horsley Park, uses electricity to produce enough green hydrogen to power about 250 homes.

The trial - the largest of its kind in Australia - uses a 500kW electrolyser to separate hydrogen and oxygen from filtrated town water. The hydrogen can then be injected, blended and stored in the existing gas distribution network.

The project is jointly funded by Jemena and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

ARENA made it a condition of the funding that Jemena must make the site available to the public, including other potential investors.

The AWU has industry coverage of hydrogen production and transmission, and many of the heavy industries that may one day use hydrogen.

Representatives from AWU's National Office, and NSW, Western Australian and South Australian Branches visited the site in August.

AWU representatives at the Western Sydney Jemena site.

AWU Acting Assistant National Secretary Stephen Crawford said the pilot project was a positive example of the public and private sectors working together to explore renewable energy opportunities.

"It's important for governments at all levels to play an active role in the development of new manufacturing projects in Australia, including in the hydrogen industry.

"If the hydrogen industry can lead to low-cost power in Australia in the future, there is a massive potential for downstream manufacturing job growth."

With hydrogen a potential boom industry for Australia, the AWU has established a national hydrogen committee with representatives from each state Branch.

The committee is tasked with understanding the emerging industry, engaging with key stakeholders and increasing the expertise about hydrogen within the AWU.

The AWU's Jemena site organiser is the NSW representative on the committee, and AWU members working there are gas workers who have undertaken additional training to work with hydrogen.

In the latest round of EA negotiations, the AWU also successfully secured an additional allowance ($58.13 a day) for workers on-site who are involved in the hydrogen operations.