To speed the move to commercialize fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in the country, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced $22.8 million in funding to Viva Energy Group to develop, build, and operate a New Energies Service Station in Geelong, Victoria.

The ARENA funding will be used for renewable hydrogen and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure as well as to subsidize the purchase and operation of 15 hydrogen FCEVs. The vehicles will be purchased and owned by project partners.

Built opposite the company’s petroleum refinery, Viva Energy’s $43.3 million New Energies Service Station will incorporate a 2-MW electrolyser along with hydrogen compression, storage, and dispensing infrastructure. The service station will also include 150-kW electric vehicle charging facilities. Viva Energy plans to add traditional diesel refueling on-site to familiarize drivers with FCEV charging.

“The experiences of Viva Energy and fleet vehicles using the renewable hydrogen produced onsite for refueling will provide valuable insights into the operation of different types of hydrogen FCEV heavy vehicles,” said ARENA CEO Darren Miller.

ARENA has previously funded light-vehicle hydrogen FCEV projects with Toyota and BOC, which will install a hydrogen refueling station in Brisbane for passenger fleets. ARENA also supports Ark Energy to deploy five FCEV prime movers operating between its zinc refinery and the Port of Townsville.