The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced a significant investment of up to $3 million in a groundbreaking project led by Barwon Region Water Corporation (Barwon Water).
The ‘Green Oxygen for Wastewater Treatment’ initiative aims to revolutionise water treatment processes while reducing emissions.
The project, centred at Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant in Geelong, will explore the use of pure oxygen, a byproduct of hydrogen production through electrolysis, to enhance wastewater treatment efficiency.
This innovative approach has the potential to significantly reduce emissions from wastewater treatment plants, which currently contribute over 2.95 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) to Australia’s carbon footprint.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller emphasised the project’s importance in demonstrating cross-sector collaboration during the clean energy transition.
“This will highlight the application for green oxygen and enhance the commercial viability of renewable hydrogen, offering unique learnings in navigating the regulatory, technical and commercial aspects of oxygen offtake,” Miller stated.
The project will be conducted in two stages.
The initial phase, supported by ARENA’s funding, involves a front-end engineering and design study to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of using pure oxygen from an electrolyser in the wastewater treatment process.
The oxygen will be sourced from Viva Energy’s new hydrogen refuelling station at the nearby Viva Energy Hub, which is deploying a 2.5-megawatt electrolyser.
Barwon Water Managing Director Shaun Cumming welcomed the ARENA funding, stating: “We’re excited to explore the beneficial use of pure oxygen as a byproduct of renewable hydrogen production at the Viva Energy Hub hydrogen refuelling station.
It’s an exciting opportunity to reduce emissions from wastewater treatment”.
This project not only aims to improve wastewater treatment efficiency but also explores potential ancillary revenue streams for renewable hydrogen producers through the sale of oxygen, which might otherwise be discarded.
With over 1,200 wastewater treatment plants operating in Australia, the insights gained from this project could lead to innovative improvements throughout the sector.
The project is expected to increase understanding of approval pathways, required interfaces, and potential capital and operating savings.
This initiative builds upon ARENA’s previous investment in Viva Energy’s hydrogen refuelling station project, which received $34 million in funding to support the uptake of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in heavy fleets.
As Australia continues to pursue its renewable energy goals, projects like Barwon Water’s Green Oxygen initiative demonstrate the potential for innovative, cross-sector solutions in reducing emissions and improving resource efficiency.
