Hydrogen still finding its feet as a transport fuel

Australia has taken a significant step into the hydrogen economy with the launch of its first publicly accessible renewable hydrogen refuelling station in Geelong, Victoria, as the nation positions itself to become a major player in the global clean energy market.

The $62 million Viva Energy Hub facility, which opened on June 13, 2025, marks a milestone in decarbonising the heavy transport sector while Western Australia prepares to supply Europe’s growing hydrogen demand and other nations pursue varying strategies for the emerging fuel technology.

Breaking new ground in Geelong

The Geelong facility uses a 2.5-megawatt electrolyser powered by renewable energy and recycled water from Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant to produce up to 1000 kilograms of green hydrogen daily, making it Australia’s largest renewable hydrogen producer.

Designed to refuel up to 10 trucks consecutively in under two hours, the station offers a refuelling experience comparable to diesel, significantly enhancing hydrogen’s viability for commercial transport.

“By providing hydrogen as an alternative fuel, we are aiming to reduce emissions and contribute to the development of a more sustainable heavy transport sector in Australia,” said Viva Energy chief strategy officer Lachlan Pfeiffer.

The facility also integrates ultra-fast charging for electric vehicles, supported by $35 million in government funding – $34 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and $1 million from the Victorian government.

During the launch, deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Victorian Minister for Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio emphasised the station’s pivotal role in helping Victoria reach its net-zero emissions target by 2045.

Viva Energy is collaborating with partners including Toll Group, CDC, Cleanaway and Barwon Water to roll out hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles across Australia, with plans to deploy up to 15 hydrogen-powered vehicles within two years.

Western Australia eyes European market

Western Australia is positioning itself as a global hydrogen supplier, with a study backed by the Port of Rotterdam, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and local partners identifying the Mid West Hydrogen Hub in Oakajee as capable of supplying significant portions of Europe’s hydrogen demand by 2050.

Located within 350 kilometres of key renewable energy sources, the Oakajee region could produce up to 10,000 terawatt-hours of energy from solar and 5700TWh from wind, potentially generating 185 million tonnes of hydrogen annually from solar and 105 million tonnes from wind.

The study highlights renewable ammonia as the most viable short-term solution for hydrogen transport. Produced on-site using renewable energy, hydrogen is converted into ammonia – a safer, cheaper carrier that can be liquefied, shipped long distances and converted back into hydrogen, adding only nine per cent to total cost.

Australia signed a €400 million agreement with Germany in September 2024 to develop green hydrogen supply chains, securing European buyers and steady supply to regions including North Rhine-Westphalia and Ludwigshafen.

Germany plans to import up to 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen by 2030 as part of its National Hydrogen Strategy, aligned with the EU’s REPowerEU plan to reduce fossil fuel dependence and enhance energy security.

The planned deepwater port at Oakajee will become the main export hub connecting Australia to Europe via the Port of Rotterdam.

Japan advances liquid hydrogen technology

Japan is pursuing subcooled liquid hydrogen technology through a memorandum of understanding between Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Iwatani Corporation, Japan’s leading hydrogen supplier.

The sLH₂ system, originally developed by Daimler Truck with Linde Engineering, keeps liquid hydrogen at -253°C using slight pressure increase. This eliminates boil-off gas emissions through re-liquefaction, enhancing energy efficiency and enabling simpler, more cost-effective refuelling station designs.

Offering higher energy density, faster refuelling and longer driving ranges compared to gaseous hydrogen, the system has been implemented in Daimler Truck’s Mercedes-Benz GenH₂ prototype.

Currently undergoing customer trials since 2024, the truck can travel up to 1000 kilometres on a single tank and operates with significantly less complex infrastructure than compressed hydrogen.

MFTBC views sLH₂ as central to its sustainable mobility strategy, with the collaboration aiming to accelerate hydrogen refuelling infrastructure rollout in Japan while addressing technical, regulatory and commercial requirements for large-scale adoption.

The partnership, backed by the Japanese government’s Green Innovation Fund, aims to lay foundations for a carbon-neutral hydrogen supply chain supporting Japan’s goal of achieving a CO₂-free society by 2050.

Europe faces infrastructure challenges

Research from Chalmers University of Technology has raised concerns about the EU’s hydrogen refuelling station distribution strategy.

The study, published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, analysed more than 600,000 freight routes across Europe and found the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation could result in significant financial losses from underused refuelling stations.

Under AFIR, hydrogen refuelling stations must be installed every 200 kilometres along major roads by 2030. However, the study highlights this approach fails to account for traffic volume and geography variations.

“EU law is based on distance, but traffic volumes differ in other ways between countries,” noted Joel Löfving, doctoral student at Chalmers Univeristy’s Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences.

France will need seven times more refuelling capacity by 2050 than AFIR mandates for 2030, while countries with lower traffic volume,s including Bulgaria, Romani,a and Greec,e may face unnecessary costs from buildingrarely usedd infrastructure.

The research highlights hydrogen-powered trucks are best suited for long-haul routes exceeding 360 kilometres, where battery electric vehicles may struggle with range or charging times.

Mr Löfving cautioned that while AFIR provides a good starting point, “investing in expensive new technology is always risky”, urging the EU to adopt a more demand-based approach to infrastructure deployment.

Stellantis backs away from hydrogen

Not all manufacturers remain committed to hydrogen technology, with Stellantis halting production of its hydrogen-powered Pro One vans at facilities in Hordain, France, and Gliwice, Poland.

“The hydrogen market remains a niche segment, with no prospects of mid-term economic sustainability,” stated Stellantis chief operating officer for Enlarged Europe Jean-Philippe Imparato.

Originally targeting the light commercial vehicle sector demanding longer driving ranges and faster refuelling than battery electric vehicles can offer, Stellantis cited lack of refuelling stations and high hydrogen costs as key factors in making these vehicles uncompetitive.

Despite shelving hydrogen plans, Stellantis confirmed no job losses, with R&D shifting focus to multi-energy projects combining electric and combustion power, along with “something in the middle”, as senior product manager Fedele Ragusa explained – likely referring to plug-in hybrids.

The decision affects the Stellantis joint venture with Symbio, in which it holds a 33.3 per cent stake, established to support hydrogen fuel cell vehicle production in Europe and North America.

As Stellantis steps back from hydrogen, Toyota, Hyundai and Renault continue investing in the technology, particularly for heavy-duty applications.