Countrywide Hydrogen originates renewable hydrogen projects to meet emission-free targets.
Green hydrogen is the fuel of the future.
And the future is now.
Latest News
Keep up-to-date with our latest news, projects, reports and media releases here.
Our Model
With road transport accounting for 20% of Australia’s emissions, Countrywide Hydrogen is developing its projects under the banner of Hydrogen HyWays. A Hydrogen HyWay will be developed after assessing road transport data to identify where heavy vehicles are in greatest use linking regional Australia with ports and major cities. We will strategically select sites along these routes where a hydrogen production facility with a refuelling station will be located to give the road transport sector easy access to green hydrogen. Tasmania will deliver Hydrogen Hyway #1 providing refuelling from the north to the south of the state; it will be a showcase for what is possible on mainland Australia and overseas.
Emerge, Renew, Transform.
Hydrogen Brighton, Tasmania
As part of Hydrogen Hyway #1, the Brighton/Bridgewater project of initially 5MW near Hobart, is unique in that it will produce and supply green hydrogen directly to industrial customers, some seeking to operate on 100% hydrogen which is a national first. Buses and trucks will also be supplied with hydrogen either at CH’s refuelling station integrated with the hydrogen production facility, or delivered in tube trailers to their respective depots.
Supplying green hydrogen to domestic customers will create investment in infrastructure such as refuelling stations and fuel cell service centres, develop new skills in the maintenance and service of fuel cell vehicles, and eliminate harmful emissions while reducing Tasmania’s reliance on imported fuels.
Hydrogen Launceston, Tasmania
CH is collaborating with Launceston Airport to create a circular economy for the generation of renewable electricity and production of hydrogen. The use of airport land is limited by the height of any installation and ground-mounted solar provides the opportunity to generate electricity to supply green power to the airport and for hydrogen production.
Given the size of the airport, capturing water for hydrogen production completes the circular economy with the production of two energy sources, electricity and hydrogen.
Hydrogen will be supplied to the road transport sector, materials handling and made available to Tas Gas for a proposed new gas network extension at Western Junction’s TRANSlink industrial development which borders the airport precinct. Opportunities are also being investigated to supply 100% hydrogen to industrial customers in TRANSlink. The Launceston project provides the second hydrogen refuelling location along Hydrogen Hyway #1.
Hydrogen Devonport, Tasmania
The northernmost hydrogen production and refuelling site is at Wesley Vale, near Devonport. This facility will service the road transport sector that collects and delivers goods from and to the two ports at Burnie and Devonport. Grid and water connectivity in the precinct is available as is road access for refuelling. Behind-the-meter power generation is available at both sites.
Road transport operations in the north of the state head southwards to Hobart via Launceston with Hydrogen HyWay #1 servicing all locations and the key transport corridor in the state.
Hydrogen Portland, Victoria
At Portland in Victoria’s southwest, Countrywide is developing a renewable hydrogen project, Stage 1 of which is targeted to be a 5MW electrolyser supplying hydrogen to local industrial, mobility and gas customers. The second stage will expand the project to supply hydrogen or hydrogen derivatives to the export markets of Japan and Korea, where there is strong interest in collaboration from their respective trading companies.
Portland was selected as a project site because of the strong electrical infrastructure that was established to support Alcoa’s aluminium smelter, the Port of Portland’s infrastructure, and the scale of wind projects in the area now and in the future. With a 1GW offshore wind farm close to Portland to be constructed by Alinta Energy, large-scale hydrogen production has a big long-term future.
Offtake opportunities in this “Green Triangle” are strong with road transport interests servicing the timber, dairy, livestock and manufacturing sectors keen to reduce their Scope 3 emissions. The Green Triangle takes in the Limestone Coast area of South Australia and provides the foundation precinct for a potential Hydrogen Hyway from Adelaide to Melbourne.
Hydrogen Melbourne, Victoria
The Victorian Government has mandated that after 2025, all new buses to operate on public transport routes will be emission free. As such, we were requested by the Bus Association of Victoria to supply renewable hydrogen for up to 40 transit buses to be progressively introduced onto Victoria’s roads . This request became the genesis of our Hydrogen Melbourne project which has since been enhanced by heavy road transport interests requiring access to green hydrogen in Melbourne.
Planning is under way for green power to be sourced from a new solar farm to be constructed in neighbouring Mitchell Shire.The will comprise renewable hydrogen production, vehicle refuelling, service and maintenance, and possible injection into the natural gas network and be located in the high-volume transport corridor of the northern region of the metropolitan area.
Hydrogen Melbourne has the potential to form the base for Hydrogen Hyways in Victoria.
Hydrogen Karimun, Indonesia
In collaboration with Anantara Energy, a consortium of Quantum Energy (Singapore) and i.b. vogt (Germany), Countrywide Hydrogen is planning to develop a large-scale renewable hydrogen production facility using behind-the-meter power from Anantara’s massive 3.5GW solar installation in the Riau Archipelago on Sumatra.
The site for this project is less than 50kms from Singapore. Electricity from the project will decarbonise Indonesia and can be transmitted the short distance to Singapore via an underwater cable. Hydrogen from the project will be used to decarbonise Indonesia and can be exported to Singapore and other Asian nations that see hydrogen as their emissions reduction solution for power generation, transport and logistics and displacement of natural gas.
About Us
Emerge, Renew, Transform.
Countrywide Hydrogen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ASX-listed ReNu Energy Limited (ASX:RNE), an Australian company investing in renewable and clean energy companies.
Founded in 2015, we are a leader in the origination of renewable hydrogen projects to help the world meet its zero emission targets.
We coordinate the development of projects in collaboration with partners who bring expertise in engineering, modelling, technology, environmental impact, grant funding, legal and finance.
With pipeline projects located in Australia and in North America, our vision is to pursue renewable energy opportunities where clean energy contributes to sustaining economies, eliminating emissions, and delivering growth opportunities.
All of our projects are based on our foundation pillar methodology, requiring:
A guarantee of origin renewable energy, targeting high-capacity availability at an acceptable price
Hydrogen or hydrogen derivative offtakes
Access to clean water
Land available near a deep-water port for large-scale projects with supporting infrastructure
Positive regulatory and approvals environment
Availability of project-based Government funding
Our history.
Countrywide Hydrogen (formerly Countrywide Renewable Energy) was founded in 2015 by passionate clean energy specialists Geoffrey and Inge Drucker, with a vision to become a leader in renewable energy generation and production.
Determined to make a contribution to a better world, the dynamic husband and wife duo’s first project was the 27MW Wangaratta Solar Farm.
The release of Dr Alan Finkel’s seminal paper Hydrogen for Australia’s Future in 2018 identified the market potential of hydrogen, heralding a new name and strategic direction for the company. Now Countrywide Hydrogen, the company’s sole focus became the origination and development of new hydrogen facilities to help meet emissions reduction targets.
Today, Countrywide Hydrogen has five renewable hydrogen projects underway – three in Tasmania and two in Victoria – with a pipeline of new projects both locally and offshore.
In 2022, Countrywide Hydrogen merged with ASX-listed ReNu Energy Limited (ASX:RNE), a company that invests in renewable and clean energy technologies. The merger provided Countrywide access to industry leading collaborators to expedite its project pipeline and access to capital markets to fund its hydrogen projects.
As the world’s transition away from diesel and other carbon fuels accelerates, hydrogen will emerge as the fuel of the future.
Working with Governments, partners, suppliers and OEMs to develop opportunities for renewable hydrogen to significantly reduce emissions, Countrywide Hydrogen is well placed to make a major contribution as a green hydrogen producer and supplier with long-term projects.
The Way We Do Business
At Countrywide Hydrogen, we energetically pursue excellence in all that we do.
And we firmly believe that we should make a meaningful contribution to the environment and the communities that we work with and within.
In all our business operations, and in every interaction, we act with transparency, honesty, clear communication, and collaborative decision making.
We call this The Countrywide Hydrogen Way. It ensures all our stakeholders know and understand the values and principles that underpin the way we go about our business.
We collaborate.
Key decisions are made consultatively, and we welcome questions, ideas, and challenges. We value true partnerships based on mutual respect and trust.
We communicate.
Nothing is a surprise. We speak truthfully, openly, and directly, and most importantly, we listen. We act with integrity and maintain a high level of professionalism in all our dealings with partners, communities, network and our team.
We focus on results.
We work together to achieve the best outcome. We energetically pursue excellence through quality and make sure that when we’re done, we measure our impact.
We are constantly growing and learning.
In everything we do, we get better every time. This is because we ask for feedback and take that on board.
Our Partners
We work closely with collaborators that further build on our Board and management team's proven track record in renewable energy research and development. In 2022, we brought on partners in engineering and financial advisory to complement our offer and bring our vision to life.
Wood PLC
Global engineering firm, Wood PLC, is committed to finding solutions to the world’s most critical challenges in energy and the built environment, and is passionate about helping achieve a successful transition to clean energy and renewables.
With their deep experience in the hydrogen industry, we engaged Wood to provide ongoing general advice on our projects and on the broader hydrogen space. When required, under a supplementary agreement, Wood provides detailed engineering consultancy to support specific projects.
