Overview

The Joint Chemical Engineering Committee (JCEC) New South Wales invites you to join them on this site tour at Jemena.

Jemena recently started operating a $15m hydrogen R&D facility in Western Sydney as part of a project co-funded by ARENA. This is one of the most complex trials of its kind in operation today; featuring a PEM electrolyser, water treatment system, a 100% hydrogen transmission pipeline, gas network injection, a PEM fuel cell and 100% hydrogen micro turbine, and offsite export facility.

The complexity of the project has resulted in many Australian firsts, each requiring careful technical, commercial, regulatory and legal consideration. Compounding these challenges has been Jemena’s decision to fully integrate the operation and maintenance of the facility as part of the BAU gas network operations, requiring significant systems and process updates as well as significant interaction and upskilling of operators.

From the outset, the design intent of the facility was specifically to focus on the technical, commercial and operational environment for future renewable hydrogen assets, ensuring maximum learning and development from all three areas

The speaker will cover the practical challenges overcome during design, construction, commissioning and integration of the asset, and how these are being fed back to the industry and engineering community.

PPE requirements: flat soled shoes/boots, non-synthetic (ie cotton) long sleeves and long trousers. Please bring own high vis and eye protection if possible.

Speaker

Alistair Wardrope

Alistair is a mechanical engineer with 15 years professional experience working in the energy industry, starting his career with a well-known British electrolyser manufacturer in 2006, he has been involved in evolving renewable hydrogen technologies since.

He has worked on major European power generation utility projects from nuclear, biomass, offshore wind and solar, as well as energy distribution for an Australian gas and electricity utility, including the technical development of Australia’s first hydrogen and biomethane projects funded by ARENA.

Working on renewable generation assets from small to large, Alistair has also been continually active on a range of industrial and academic platforms ranging from introducing hydrogen and electric vehicles to the IMechE formula student in the UK establishing the some the earliest zero emission motorsport events, to industry lead for Future Fuels CRC and actively engaged in developing Australian standards.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the New South Wales Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.