TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA ECOPARK HYDROGEN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

ARENA CONTRACT NUMBER: 2018/ARP142

PUBLIC TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY REPORT

NOVEMBER 2022

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 1

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Disclaimer and Funding Acknowledgment

The purpose of this document is to provide a summary of the Ecopark Hydrogen Project from
completion of commissioning to 6 months of operation.

Toyota Australia makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness

or suitability for particular purposes of the information contained within this document.
Toyota Australia and its employees, representatives, agents and consultants shall have no liability
(including liability to any person by reason of negligence or negligent misstatement) for any loss or
damage incurred in reliance on any statements, opinions, information or matter expressed or
implied arising out of, contained in, or derived from, or for any omissions from, the information in
this document, except in so far as liability under any statute cannot be excluded.

Written permission to publish, modify, commercialise or alter this material must be sought directly
from Toyota Australia.

This project received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of
the ARENA Advancing Renewables Program.

The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government. The
Australian Government does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained
within this document.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 2

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 4
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1. Design Overview ................................................................................................................................ 6
1.2. Vehicle Specifications ........................................................................................................................ 6
1.3. Refill Capability (24 hour cycle) ......................................................................................................... 6
1.4. Operational Overview ....................................................................................................................... 7
2. Project Pathways and Timeline ................................................................................................................. 8
2.1. Facility Planning ................................................................................................................................. 8
2.2. Simplified project timeline ................................................................................................................ 9
3. Operational Data ..................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1. Facility Operation ............................................................................................................................ 10
3.2. Refuel Process ................................................................................................................................. 10
3.3. Operational Data ............................................................................................................................. 11
4. Technical Lessons Learned ...................................................................................................................... 13
4.1. Hydrogen standards and codes ....................................................................................................... 13
4.2. High Ambient Temperature ............................................................................................................. 14
4.3. Electrolyser Fault ............................................................................................................................. 15
4.4. Commissioning Lessons ................................................................................................................... 15
5. Commercial Lessons Learned .................................................................................................................. 17
5.1. Engage SME ..................................................................................................................................... 17
5.2. Early Design Review ......................................................................................................................... 17
5.3. Clear Specifications.......................................................................................................................... 17
5.4. Pandemic ......................................................................................................................................... 18
6. Engagement and User Experience ........................................................................................................... 19
6.1. Hydrogen Experience Centre (HEC) ................................................................................................. 19
6.2. Training ............................................................................................................................................ 20
6.3. Refuelling ......................................................................................................................................... 20
7. Usage Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 22
8. Capital & Operational Costing ................................................................................................................. 23
Appendix 1 – Facility Overview ....................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix 2 - Engagement Report ................................................................................................................... 27

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 3

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Executive Summary

The Toyota Hydrogen Demonstration Project (Ecopark) demonstrates the feasibility of production,
storage and utilisation of low cost, ultra-high purity hydrogen for use in both mobile and
stationary applications.
The Project also includes the development of a Hydrogen Education Centre (HEC) to promote
hydrogen innovation and education to key stakeholders. The HEC has been designed to support
collaborations between government, technology developers and educators to progress the uptake
of renewable hydrogen in Australia.
The project site is located at Toyota Australia’s former car manufacturing site at Altona North,
Victoria, Australia.

The system elements in the project are:

• 87kW solar PV (roof mounted) and 132kWh Li-Ion battery storage.
• ITM Power 250kW electrolyser, 83kg of H2 gas per day.
• Storage of hydrogen gas at low, medium & high pressures - (3MPa, 45MPa & 85 MPa).
• Linde BOC refuelling station for both 35MPa & 70MPa vehicles.
• Stationary application via generation of electricity from a 30kW fuel cell.
• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor system performance.

For the reporting period commencing November 2021, Toyota Australia has completed 164 refuels
and dispensed 364 kg of hydrogen through to end March 2022. Over the same timeframe, Toyota
has completed 17 engagement events, comprising 992 visitors.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 4

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

1. Introduction

The Toyota Hydrogen Demonstration Project (Ecopark), located at Toyota Australia’s former car
manufacturing site at Altona North, Victoria, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of production,
storage and utilisation of low cost, ultra-high purity hydrogen for use in both mobile and
stationary applications.
This was achieved through developing and integrating the following key processes:
• installation and commissioning of an 250kW electrolyser.
• production of at least 60kg of hydrogen per day by polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM)
electrolysis from at least 50% renewable energy generated on-site.
• compression and storage of hydrogen gas at both high pressure (70 MPa), medium pressure
(45Mpa) and low pressure (3MPa).
• generation of electricity from a 30kW stationary hydrogen fuel cell.
• construction and operation of IC90 vehicle refuelling station for light vehicles, buses, and
forklifts.
• development of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control system to monitor
energy production and distribution.
Included in the project is the installation of an 87kW solar PV and 132kWh battery storage
(together with grid-connected energy) to contribute to the incremental energy requirements to
produce renewable hydrogen.
The Project also includes the development of a Hydrogen Education Centre (HEC) to promote
hydrogen innovation and education to key stakeholders. Toyota Australia uses the HEC to
coordinate activities that address technology development for the safe and cost-effective
generation and use of hydrogen. The HEC has been designed to support collaborations between
government, technology developers and educators to progress the uptake of renewable hydrogen
in Australia.

Toyota Australia HEC (left) & Hydrogen facility (right)

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 5

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Design Overview

The Ecopark Hydrogen Project demonstrates the safe, efficient and effective production and
subsequent utilization of high purity hydrogen for consumer use.
The key criteria being:
• Produce hydrogen on-site that is partially powered by renewable sources.
• Effectively storing hydrogen for on demand use.
• Provide refuelling capabilities for a predefined set of vehicles.
• Providing a hydrogen fuel cell capable of producing electricity for use on the site.
• Generate learnings from designing, installing and operating a functional hydrogen plant.

Vehicle Specifications

The plant shall be capable of refuelling the following vehicles.

Vehicle Type Refuel Pressure Max. H2 Refuel (kg) Max. Refuel Time (mins)*
Passenger Vehicles 70MPa 5.0 5 minutes[1]
(e.g. Toyota Mirai)
Forklift 35MPa 1.2 3 minutes[2]
Bus 70MPa 25.0 Est 30 mins[2]
Truck 35Mpa 35.0 Est 60 mins[2]
*Excluding dispenser purge cycle.
[1] Subject to SAE J2601_201612 T40 standard refuel protocol
[2] Vehicle dependent, not specified in current version of SAE J2601_201612

Refill Capability (24 hour cycle)

The refuelling requirements (refuelling profile) within a 24 hour period is based on:
• 2x forklifts refuelling back to back at 7am.
• 2x Toyota Mirai refuelling back to back before midday.
• 4x Toyota Mirai refuelling back to back between midday and 17:00.
• 1x Heavy Vehicle refuelling between 19:00 and midnight.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 6

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Operational Overview

The hydrogen equipment is installed inside the Toyota Altona site perimeter, and access to the
refueller for customers is typically by prior arrangement. Access can be arranged with as little as
30 mins notice, though 60 minutes notice is normally requested.
The customers using the refueller are engaged via the Mirai lease program through Toyota
National Fleet. Leases are available to companies who are active in the renewables space. Vehicles
available are Mirai only. The facility is capable of supporting vehicles per the refuel profile in
section 1.2 and is not a commercial station.
For the initial period after commissioning, the vehicle refuelling was carried out by the Toyota
Australia team so there was support for customers using new equipment. The operation of the
equipment is straightforward and customers were typically self refuelling (under Toyota
supervision if necessary) within 4 refuels experiences. Familiarisation with refuelling is part of the
lease customer introduction package, and refuelling is progressively being carried out by the lease
customers without Toyota Australia support from Q4 2022.
The facility at Altona is planned as a midterm project, with an expected operation period of
between 5 and 10 years, when Toyota Australia expects the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to
be further developed nationally. There are no plans to expand the current storage size or
production capability of the plant, however support is likely to be developed for a more diverse
range of vehicles as the vehicles become available in the market.
Beyond demonstration, refuelling and maintenance activities, Toyota Australia considers that the
plant will typically function unstaffed.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 7

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

2. Project Pathways and Timeline

Facility Planning

When Toyota Australia approached the local council for a planning permit, it was quickly apparent
there was an absence of established town planning codes and practices relating to hydrogen
facilities of the nature covered in this project. Given the absence of town planning standards,
council was not able to apply normal approach to council approvals. In order to provide council
with the information required to make an informed decision, Toyota Australia assembled a dossier
which included the results of the site risk assessment with mitigation strategy, extensive
consultation with the Victorian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Worksafe Victoria and the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). Multiple presentations to council were also conducted in order
to provide them with relevant information on a regular basis, which ultimately allowed a planning
permit to be issued.
Toyota Australia also found it advantageous to engage a town planning consultant, Urbis, to guide
in the preparation of correct documentation for council approval.
The initial schedule allowed 6 weeks for planning approval, but actual time was 6 months. The
initial timeline was based on multiple factors such as Toyota Australia’s history of working closely
with council which enabled rapid communication, the existing Mixed Industrial Zone applied to the
Altona site, and time taken to receive planning permission to install equipment whilst
manufacturing on site was still active. The time extension was necessary to collate all the
information in the planning dossier and to allow council time to process the information. The
timeline is specific to this project (council, site, equipment & applicant) and is not directly
transferrable to other projects, however an allowance of between 6 and 9 months could be
considered for other projects, but should be assessed for the specific project needs.

Below are the key areas addressed when developing the information dossier to present to Council:
1. Planning permit Application Form (standard council form).
2. Metropolitan Planning Level Certificate (standard State Revenue Office requirement).
3. Current Certificate of Title for the proposed site.
4. Application Drawings – Hydrogen Centre (includes hydrogen facility layout & traffic flow)
5. Town Planning Report (assesses the planning merits of the application relative to the
relevant Planning Policies and Controls. Report by Urbis).
6. Hydrogen Demonstration facility overview (description of proposed operations).
7. Separation Distances study (safety requirement).
8. EPA communications relating to the project.
9. EPA Approval Pathway Application (standard EPA form for approval of new works).
10. Overview of communication with MFB
11. Overview of communications with Worksafe for pressure vessel registration.

Supporting point 10, the following was included in submission to council.

1. Application for Letter of Written Advice (MFB Approval).
2. Hydrogen production plant layout drawings.
3. Hazardous Area Report.
4. Fire engineer memorandum report (includes Risk Assessment).

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 8

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

5. Fire engineering drawings.

6. Site fire services layout drawing.
7. Failure mode risk analysis.
8. Hydrogen release modelling results.
9. Existing emergency response procedure.
10. Existing site dangerous goods manifest.
11. Existing site dangerous goods layout drawing.

Simplified project timeline

The below table is the high level timeline of the project. These timings are specific to this project
and were affected by the COVID global pandemic.
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
MS01 ARENA
MS2A ARENA
MS2B ARENA
MS03 ARENA
H2 Centre Development
Planning, Council permits
Hydrogen Equipment
Contracts & ordering
Equipment Lead Times
Install
Commission
Hydrogen Site
Control & Safety Systems
Civil Works
Mechanical Works
Electrical Works
Plant Commission
Site Operations

The major project elements shown below overlap and are not sequential. The duration of these
elements is specific to this project and was affected by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic,
supplier production capacity, and supplier response time to information requests. Supplier
contracts were of typical duration for Toyota purchase agreements. Site planning timeframe
spans from initial concept layouts through to detailed plans required for install and construction.
Major Project Elements Required time
Council planning permits 6 months
Equipment selection 9 months
Supplier Contracts 12 months
Equipment leadtime 15 months ~ 18 months
(Time from Purchase Order issued to delivery)
Site planning 12 months
(Equipment, Safety, civil, mechanical, electrical)
Site works (Safety, civil, mechanical, electrical) 4 months
Equipment installation 3 months
Equipment commissioning 6 months
Safety system planning 5 months
Plant commissioning 3 months

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 9

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

3. Operational Data

Facility Operation
The HEC opened on schedule in March 2021, however shortly after the HEC opened, Victoria was
placed into lockdown restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing COVID-19
restrictions resulted in the full completion of the hydrogen facility being delayed. The facility was
installed and commissioned in stages rather than one large activity. Breaking the install and
commissioning into smaller stages allowed for multiple smaller project milestones to be achieved
in between lockdowns rather than pausing the entire project until a large time window could be
allocated (or allowed under Victorian restrictions at the time). As a result, the Hydrogen facility at
Altona, whilst operational in March 2021, completed full customer optimisations at end of
November 2021 and entered full operational phase immediately.
The hydrogen production and utilization system is a demand based process, meaning hydrogen is
only generated to replenish any gas consumed by the end user. In the circumstance where the
system is full and there is no draw down on stored gas, the system enters standby mode.

Refuel Process
The process overview of operations at the Altona hydrogen facility is shown in the diagram below.

(1) The process starts with inputs of water and power to the electrolyser which splits the H2O into the
elements hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O).
(2) In this facility, the oxygen is vented to atmosphere and the hydrogen is captured into the Low
Pressure Vessel.
(3) The hydrogen can then either be compressed onto the Medium Pressure storage (3a) or
compressed into the High Pressure storage (3b). Alternatively, the hydrogen can be fed into the
stationary fuel cell (3c) to provide power back to the site.
(4) The hydrogen is used to fill a vehicle via the dispenser.

The diagram below shows the process flow of gas generated on site. From here it can be seen that only
vehicles or the stationary fuel cell consume hydrogen in this facility.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 10

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

The refuel process uses pressure differential between supply and consumption to cause the
hydrogen gas to flow. When a vehicle is refuelled, the IC90 detects the remaining pressure in the
vehicle and uses the gas stored at a higher pressure to refuel the vehicle.
An example scenario may be a vehicle arrives with 100 bar in the tank. The refueller will
automatically fill from the Medium Pressure (MP) storage until the pressure in the vehicle
equalises with the MP storage (e.g. 430 bar). The refueller then automatically switches to the High
Pressure (HP) storage to complete the fill (from 430 bar to 700 bar). The refuel process takes 3 to
5 minutes. Then the customer departs, and the compressor runs to refill the HP and MP storage
from the Low Pressure Vessel (LPV).
Once the pressure in the LPV drops below a setpoint, the facility control system sends a signal to
the electrolyser to start and the electrolyser creates hydrogen to fill the LPV. Once the LPV
reaches the maximum output pressure of the electrolyser (30 bar), the electrolyser automatically
switches to standby.
The time taken for the electrolyser to change from standby to production is less than 20 seconds,
however the time taken to produce usable gas ranges from 10 mins to 40 mins. The electrolyser
passes the hydrogen from the stack through a dryer and then to the output line. The time taken
for the dryer to heat up and dry the gas determines the full response time to production. The wet
hydrogen is vented until the electrolyser dryer is warm enough to make dry gas. Once storage
tanks are full, the electrolyser moves to a hold status for 30 mins. If the electrolyser receives a
signal to generate hydrogen in this window, the response time to full production is less than 5
minutes as the dryer is still hot.
The electrolyser can operate between 25% and 100% output, with a preferred output of 80% of
full production. The electrolyser output is adjusted through the SCADA control system. 100%
output is 83kg H2 gas per 24 hours (3.45 kg/h)
The peak power draw of the entire system is typically greater than the HEC solar and battery can
supply, which is why the system is designed to draw power from grid as necessary. However,
including a portion of solar from the other Altona site solar array is sufficient to run the
electrolyser and therefore create majority of hydrogen from renewable energy.
The capacity of the facility is greater than the customer demand and at the time of this report,
there have been zero instances where a customer vehicle has not been refuelled due to lack of
hydrogen availability.

Operational Data
The hydrogen production rate meets expectation of achieving 80kg/day, however as a result of the
demand being less than the facility capacity, 80kg/day is not regularly required to be achieved.
Based on the number of vehicles in use and the level of usage for those vehicles, typically the
facility dispensed 20kg of hydrogen per week, and this is increasing as more vehicles are leased
and customer usage increases.
The key metrics for operational production in the report period are shown below:

Dec 21 Jan 22 Feb 22 Mar 22 Month Average

Production Total kg H2 gas 158.9 104.3 182.2 122.3 141.9
Power Total kWh used 10,132 7,649 14,173 8,477 10,108
Power Ratio Average kWh/kg 63.76 73.36 77.79 69.29 71.05
Water^ Average Litre/kg 9.63 9.09 9.92 7.49 9.033
Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 11
TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

The power consumption per kg hydrogen produced varies due to the base load of power
consumed once the electrolyser enters the start up stages as described previously. The full start
procedure is completed regardless of the total hydrogen produced, therefore smaller production
runs result in higher power consumption per kg hydrogen produced when compared with larger
production runs. When in standby mode the electrolyser will still run water circulation pump to
maintain stack hydration. Cooling fans in the control cabinet will also run during standby.
The power used by the refueller will also vary dependent on usage. As more gas is dispensed to
vehicles, the compressor will run to replenish the storage. The compressor will typically run 15
minutes per vehicle refuelled. Refueller cooling will also turn on and off as needed, adding further
variation to the power draw. The refueller has one air conditioning unit in the control cabinet and
one in the compressor room. The dispenser chiller will also run as needed dependent on ambient
temperature and dispenser temperature.
The water consumed per kg is low compared to the initial specification. The ITM electrolyser
specification allows for up to 25 litres per kg hydrogen produced. The volume of water consumed
per kg is directly dependent on the quality of water fed into the electrolyser. Due to the high
quality of Melbourne water, the electrolyser is achieving 9L/kg^. The consumption is also varied
by the volume of water held in the water system at any given time. The water system is
comprised of water polishing and storage processes. The electrolyser polishes water through
Reverse Osmosis (RO) and De-Ionisation (DI) processes. The RO and DI processes are internal to
the electrolyser, and the polished water is held in an internal storage tank until needed for
electrolysis. When the water system requires a rapid fill, there is typically a spike in water usage
before returning to a more constant water intake.

^Water consumption is taken directly from the water meter on the electrolyser intake line. The
electrolyser fault (see section 4.3) possibly contributed to the low March figure. It is possible the
fault occurred before the electrolyser required a water system rapid fill.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 12

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

4. Technical Lessons Learned

Hydrogen standards and codes
The facility was designed in accordance with all relevant Australian Acts, Regulations, Codes and
Standards. Where Australian standards did not exist, recognised International Standards, North
American, or European standards were used as applicable.
The hydrogen facility was signed off by Worksafe Victoria and Hazardous Area inspectors (where
applicable). Formal sign off required the compilation of applicable compliance dossiers.
Risk Assessment, Hazard and Operability Studies (HazOps), and Safety in Design assessments were
undertaken by hydrogen experts. HazOps were lead and closed by an independent expert from
Bureau Veritas (independent compliance body).
The equipment procurement process highlighted the need to specify prioritisation of standards
applicable to and accepted in Australia. Overseas suppliers may not apply Australian standards to
their equipment, which may necessitate works to achieve Australian compliance, potentially
increasing project cost and timeline. For future projects, it is important to ensure all suppliers
understand and apply Australian requirements.
Of particular note is the requirement for electrical wiring in explosive environments. Australia
accepts IECEx wiring standard, however many overseas manufacturers adopt ATEX certification.
Whilst many components are dual certified to both IECEx & ATEX, equipment must be certified to
IECEx in order to be activated and operated in Australia.
Equipment containing pressure vessels must comply with Australian Standards and are required to
go through a process of independent design verification before the design is registered with
Worksafe Victoria. Note Worksafe requirements are that the design must be registered, not the
individual vessels.

The overall safety of the plant is assured through a layered and integrated approach. Each piece
of equipment was assessed and signed off by a Hazard Area inspector certified for Australian
industry. Once the equipment was approved, the overall plant was also assessed and approved as
compliant to Australian requirements by an independent Hazardous Area inspector.
Each piece of equipment has its own control system which in turn is connected to the overall
facility control system. In the event of a fault, the equipment will revert to a safe state until the
fault is remedied by the relevant supplier. The facility control system monitors the entire plant
and receives signals from all equipment as live data.
The facility has 2 flame detectors suitable for hydrogen flames monitoring the facility for any
instances of fire within the facility. In the event of a fire, an alarm is automatically sent to the
onsite fire team and simultaneously to the local fire brigade. There have been zero instances of
fire.
Part of the site assessment found the lightning protection was required to be more extensive than
initially planned, essentially due to the height of the vents relative to the open & flat surrounding
area. Zero lightning strikes have occurred so far.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 13

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

A sample list of standards used to execute this project is below. The list is not exhaustive and may
not apply to other projects.
Each project should assess which standards are relevant to the respective project scope.

J2601_202005 Fueling Protocols for Light Duty Gaseous Hydrogen Surface Vehicles
J2719_202003 Hydrogen Fuel Quality for Fuel Cell Vehicles
AS/NZS 60079.0:2019: Explosive atmospheres, Part 0: Equipment - General requirements (IECEx).
AS/NZS 60079.14:2017: Explosive atmospheres, Part 14: Design selection, erection, and initial
inspection.
IEC 61508 Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety-related
Systems
AS 1210-2010 Pressure vessels
AS 1768:2021 - Lightning protection
AS 3600-2009 Concrete Structures
AS 1170.0-2002 Structural Design Actions
AS 1170.1-2002 Permanent, Imposed & Other Actions
AS 1170.2-2011 Wind Actions
AS 4100-1998 Steel Structures
AS/NZS 4024.1201:2014: Safety of machinery
AS/NZS 60079.0:2019: Explosive atmospheres, Part 0: Equipment - General requirements
AS/NZS 60079.14:2017: Explosive atmospheres, Part 14: Design selection, erection and initial
inspection.
AS/NZS 60079.17:2017: Explosive atmospheres, Part 17: Electrical installations inspection and
maintenance
High Ambient Temperature
During days when the ambient temperature is above 35 Celsius, there have been instances where
the refueller has not reached full tank fill on the first attempt. A second or third attempt was
needed to fill the vehicle. The reason for the interrupted filling is due to the chilled gas being
warmed by the pipework between the chiller and the dispenser. When the temperature sensor at
the dispenser detects warmed gas, the refuel is automatically aborted. Subsequent fills
progressively chill the pipework and then cold gas passes the temperature sensor.
This scenario has only affected the first fill on a hot day. Once a refuel has been successful, the
pipes are chilled enough that subsequent fills are typically successful first time, even if the
subsequent fills are several hours later.
This information has been fed back to the supplier and the refueller has been adjusted to allow
first time refuelling on high ambient temperature days. Full testing of the adjustments is
scheduled to occur over the 2022/2023 summer. The OEM has captured this learning and
incorporated the changes for future deployments within Australian conditions

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 14

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Electrolyser Fault
In March 2022, during normal operations, Toyota Australia was notified of a fault detected during
a pressure test that is part of the electrolyser start up process. In this instance, pressure was not
being held for the required time frame, indicating a fault.
The fault rendered the electrolyser unable to generate hydrogen, but the fault was not safety
related. The countermeasure required a major component to be replaced. The component was
built and then tested extensively in UK before shipping to Altona and installed.
The cause of the failure was determined to be contaminants (plastic particles) in the electrolyser
water system. The likely source of the plastic particles relates to the water transfer pipes within
the electrolyser. It is possible additional cleaning/purging was required during the installation and
commissioning process.
The OEM required a significant amount of time (months) to replace the component. For the time
that the electrolyser was unable to produce hydrogen, tube trailers of hydrogen from an external
gas supplier were used to provide gas for the refueller in order to maintain support for FCEV
customers. The connection point for the tube trailers was included in the design of the hydrogen
system and was specifically to cover periods where the electrolyser may be unavailable to make
hydrogen, such as servicing and maintenance or breakdown.

Commissioning Lessons
During commissioning phase, several faults occurred that the suppliers reported as being the first
instance encountered globally. The faults were remedied during the commissioning phase and did
not affect the overall project timeline for completion, but due to the unusual nature of the faults
they are notable enough for inclusion in this report.
The ionic compressor in the refueller suffered a major component failure resulting in an ionic fluid
leak, which prevented the compressor from running until replacement parts could be delivered
from overseas.
Locally sourced parts were installed as a temporary measure resulting in reduced capacity but
enabled operation of the compressor and refueller. The temporary parts did not have the full
operating range of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts and were intended for short
term use only. The replacement OEM parts were installed Q4 2021 and have operated without
fault.
The cause of the fault was traced to a material change from a sub tier supplier, which was not
communicated to the OEM. The material change made the part vulnerable to hydrogen
embrittlement, and the component failed when it was subjected to pressure change cycles during
normal operations.
A second fault in the refueller, unrelated to the ionic fluid leak, was found when hydrogen gas was
passing through valves that were cycled closed. OEM investigation found fine metal dust on the
valve seats, allowing enough space for hydrogen molecules to pass. The source of the dust was
identified as being linked with the pipe fabrication process at the OEM. In addition to replacing
the valves with new parts, the OEM performed a full pipe clean and check. OEM have updated
their quality assurance (QA) and production processes to prevent a recurrence. Valves are now
operating properly, and hydrogen gas is controlled as intended.
The electrolyser was subject to a fault where a control component ceased operation overnight.
Investigation by the OEM found the OEM engineering team had rolled out a firmware update that
Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 15
TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

was not compatible with the controller. The update was part of an overnight update package and
was not specifically checked for compatibility. The OEM was unable to roll back the update,
therefore replacement components were airfreighted from UK.
The electrolyser also encountered a failure on a water pump. The pump impeller delaminated
during operation and could no longer effectively move water. A locally sourced pump was
installed as a short-term countermeasure until a full replacement pump could be sourced from the
OEM. The impeller delamination was due to a manufacturing fault at sub tier supplier. The
delamination has been communicated to the supplier for process improvement.
Early in the commissioning of the electrolyser, the hydrogen gas was not reaching the required
dryness (dewpoint) and therefore the gas being produced was not of usable quality. OEM
investigation found the dryer had been misassembled at the sub tier supplier. The correct part
was airfreighted, and the dryer was assembled correctly on site. The dryer has operated correctly
since rectification. The error in assembly has been communicated to the supplier for process
improvement.
The overarching lesson from all commissioning activities is that local support is critical to minimise
time taken to correct any issues. A local OEM was able to deliver an integrated response where
labour, parts and technical advice was co-ordinated, and rectification was achieved within the
commissioning timeframe.
Where local support was less familiar with the equipment, the time difference to overseas
engineering support was a factor, as typically queries required an overnight answer from
engineering, resulting in extended times to receive enough information to action and close any
queries.
Another important learning from commissioning is that when equipment starts operating, parts
are more susceptible to faults or failure. To minimise time and cost impact to the project, local
replacements, even if only for the short term, are critical to avoid delays. Given the complexity of
the equipment it is not possible to hold OEM spares for every single part, and parts that are not on
the critical spares list may still impact the project if they develop faults and/or fail.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 16

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

5. Commercial Lessons Learned

Engage SME
The greatest impact to commercial success is to front end the design phase and engage Subject
Matter Experts (SME) as early as possible. Gaining SME feedback at design stage avoids
potentially costly modification during install or commissioning.
Early in the Toyota hydrogen project, it was identified there were issues when formalising design
specifications for equipment based on lack of approved/published standards (ISO or AS etc.) for
hydrogen application in Australia. While there were a limited number of experienced SME in the
Australian hydrogen sector, the project team was able to identify SME through industry contacts
and engage with them during early design stages. The SME feedback enabled Toyota to avoid
delays and cost increases later in the project.
The original plant design for piping positioning was modified based on SME assessment. The
original plan for piping at ground level was modified for pipework to be elevated for safe
equipment access. In addition, SME identified the hydrogen piping routes and venting system
should be designed as a standalone system and should include allowances for hazard areas and
physical protection of piping.
The lightning protection for the plant was originally intended to utilise the existing lightning
protection system in the area. SME assessment was that the Lightning Protection System design
should consider requirements for each piece of equipment (including plant layout), and the
existing system may prove inadequate for hydrogen. At Toyota’s request SME provided a design
for lightning protection system that Toyota was able to implement while the site excavation and
preparation was still in early stages and the cost impact was minimised.

Early Design Review

Executing multiple HAZOP and Risk Assessments at during design phase allows for regular smaller
updates to the design rather than a single large re-design. HAZOP and Risk Assessments of the
hydrogen plant called for additional instrumentation and controls in to operate the plant in a safe
and controlled manner. Design, installation and commissioning for a demonstration scale plant
contains similar requirements and complexities of larger plants and requires appropriate levels of
control elements and instrumentation.
The majority of purchased Hydrogen Centre equipment is sourced from overseas suppliers
(Europe or US Based). Compliance requirements are different across global regions. Experience
showed that European and US equipment was generally ATEX compliant however Australia
requires IECEx certification. Where a supplier uses ATEX, Australian compliance requires
independent verification (by component) which is at the importer’s cost. By calling our IECEx at
the design sign off stage, these costs can be avoided.

Clear Specifications
Negotiation of contract conditions with companies based in different international regions
required strong, regular communication with Legal teams (on both sides of the contract) to clearly
specify and negotiate the jurisdiction and laws with overseas suppliers.
Most of the project equipment is sourced from overseas and therefore not specifically designed
for Australian environmental conditions. The focus points are daily temperatures, where
Australian temperatures are higher than European, humidity and dust. Clear specifications when
issuing quotation requests regarding environmental and location specifications are important so
Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 17
TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

the suppliers can verify if their equipment will function as needed under Australian conditions.
Close and regular follow up with vendors to confirm understanding reduced the risk of late
specification changes and therefore additional costs.

Pandemic
The full commercial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to quantify as it impacted every
facet of the project. Overseas suppliers experienced parts and labour shortages, shipping duration
was increased, local site preparation was impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and as a result the
installation and commissioning stages were severely disrupted. To mitigate the impact, project
planning for a single period of co-ordinated delivery, installation and commissioning of all
equipment was not possible. The change in project approach was to change to staged delivery
and installation of equipment. While the stages were run in parallel where possible, it was still
necessary to mobilise resources to site multiple times, increasing cost.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 18

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

6. Engagement and User Experience

Toyota Australia has established a strong presence in the hydrogen sector in Australia through a
long term commitment to promoting the application of hydrogen for mobility applications,
specifically Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV).
Toyota Australia is a founding member of the Australian Hydrogen Council and has previously held
the position of Council CEO, and currently holds a position on the Board of Directors.
Toyota has a history of engaging with external parties to promote hydrogen usage and
infrastructure requirements through strategies based on conference presentations and
attendance, collaboration with industry participants also working towards carbon neutrality
through real commitment to building the hydrogen sector in Australia, and supporting hydrogen
related activities for the education sector.
In 2016 Toyota Australia imported 3 Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) for the purposes of
education and demonstration. These Mirai were tangible evidence of the real achievements in the
hydrogen space. These 3 Generation 1 Mirai were later expanded by importing a further 10 Mirai
to support the increasing demand to “see and touch” a production vehicle using fuel cell
technology.
Without refuelling infrastructure at the time, to support the Mirai in the country Toyota Australia
purchased an MF90 mobile refueller from Linde. This slow refueller enabled greater use of the
Mirai and enabled the launch of the lease program, where companies motivated by renewables
and zero emissions could lease a Mirai and have the vehicle refuelled on a regular basis.
The lease program is ongoing and now uses the Altona facility to refuel vehicles. The generation 1
Mirai now have a low usage rate, as the generation 2 vehicle is available for lease by organisations.
At the time of this report there are 19 generation 2 Mirai across 17 leases Nationally.

Hydrogen Education Centre (HEC)

The opening of the HEC in March 2021 enabled Toyota Australia to expand on the engagement
activities already in place. Tour attendees range from secondary and tertiary schools, Local, State
and Federal Government, Government agencies, as well as industry & internal Toyota parties.
Tours occur on an approximate average of 3 tours per week, and the number of attendees per
tour varies from 1 to 40. The HEC is designed so that tours follow a series of stations, with each
station focusing on a different aspect of hydrogen – from generation, to mythbusting, to history
and current usage options. The tours are conducted by Toyota staff members.
For the reporting period, Toyota has completed 17 centre tours, comprising 992 individuals. Tours
are typically dedicated to one organization at a time.

ARENA visit - Alex McIntosh, Ian Fire Rescue Victoria Visit Japanese Ambassador and
Kay, Georgia Lourandos, Consul General of Japan Visit
Alexandra Motbey

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 19

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

HEC Testimonial

“It was a pleasure to see how the Altona site has transformed from its Andrew Watkins,
manufacturing roots and Toyota taking a public leadership role in FEV Group,
educating and presenting the Hydrogen Ecosystem and Economy. April 2022
I think this initiative can help guide public and government perspectives
on the multi-pronged approach to reducing our impact on the planet.”

Training
Toyota staff have received training in the required operator level checks on the hydrogen
equipment. The training was delivered by the supplier and is part of the normal project
deliverables. The operator checks are predominantly visual checks for items such as corrosion or
leaks, and extend to checking system readouts for system pressure, fluid levels etc. Due to the
specialised equipment in the facility, the respective suppliers carry out maintenance, service and
repairs.
Operator checks are monthly and typically take 2 hours per month to complete.
Refuelling an FCEV requires a basic introduction of how to connect the hose to the vehicle, start
the refuelling process and how to disconnect the hose once refuelling is complete. Instruction in
the use of the refueller is part of the lease program, and typically customers operate the refueller
after 2 to 3 guided refuels. Toyota staff deliver the training face to face.
Extract from refuelling instructions

Open the filler lid on the Connect the hose to the Push Start on the After refuelling stops, return
vehicle vehicle dispenser. the hose to the cradle

Refuelling
The refuelling at Altona facility is predominantly for the Mirai on the lease program. The Mirai are
700 bar vehicles and will hold a maximum of 5.6kg. The refueller at Altona also refuels 350 bar
vehicles, most regularly Toyota Australia’s fuel cell forklifts that are used in warehouse operations
on site. The forklifts hold 1.2kg and have run a full 8 hours shift on a single tank at Altona TPC. To
fill a tank takes 2 - 3 minutes and then the fork returns to service. The controls of the forklift are
standard. No special licensing is required to operate the forklifts.
The Altona facility has also supported refuelling three Hyzon fuel cell coaches. These coaches are
part of a project between BOC and Hyzon, and though Toyota Australia is not directly involved in
the project, the activity provided the opportunity to test the facility on a large 350 bar vehicle and

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 20

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

provided Hyzon and BOC with early feedback on how their planned equipment was likely to
perform.
Toyota has also purchased and refuelled a fuel cell bus from Toyota Caetano (Portugal), and this
bus will further expand Toyota’s engagement with the hydrogen sector. One of the reasons the
Caetano bus was chosen is because Toyota’s generation 1 fuel cell (as used in the Mirai FCEV) has
been integrated into the powertrain. The bus uses 350 bar tank storage which are not Toyota
specific.
An important factor in the design of the plant is customer safety. When the refueller is not in use,
the refuelling lines are vented and do not contain any hydrogen. All hydrogen is contained within
the facility and is separated from the customers by the boundary fence. A part of the refuelling
process, prior to refuelling being activated, the refueller executes a series of automatic safety tests
to ensure customer safety. If any of the tests are not passed, refuelling is automatically inhibited.
User testimonials - refueller

In terms of my user experience at the refiling station, it has been really Paul O’Connell,
positive – a couple of items for your consideration: Head of HSEQS,
• I feel that I can refuel the car on by myself as it is an easy and simple Australia & NZ,
process Acciona,
• The process of refuelling is very simple and refuelling time is efficient Aug 2022
and surprisingly short

Some of the key positive points are: Clint Jackson,

• We have always been accommodated EV Fleet Manager,
• The transition to self service has been smooth and easy Red Energy,
• We feel safe when we are refuelling Oct 2022
Some of the drawbacks of the refueller are:
• It is not available on weekends or after hours
• There is only one location to refuel

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 21

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

7. Usage Summary
The hydrogen facility at Altona can produce up to 80kg per day from the electrolyser and has a
storage capacity of approximately 170kg hydrogen gas. The storage is split across the low
pressure (40kg at 30 bar), medium pressure (75kg at 450 bar) and high pressure (56kg at 850 bar)
storage types.
The consumption of hydrogen is predominantly through the Mirai lease program, where
companies or individuals lease a Mirai through Toyota National Fleet team. The lease consists of a
monthly fee of $1,500 that covers registration, insurance, and maintenance with the fee also
includes hydrogen gas for the vehicles, irrespective of how often or seldom the vehicle is refuelled
per month.
Participants based in Victoria consists of 10 leases incorporating 11 vehicles. More detail on the
lease participants can be found in Appendix 2 Engagement Report.
The lease program has continued uninterrupted since December 2021, however the source of
hydrogen gas was changed to gas generated off site when the electrolyser was forced offline at
the end of March 2022. At the time of writing, the electrolyser is back online and generating gas
on demand.
The table below provides a snapshot of the hydrogen dispensed through the plant. The variation
is due to how the customers choose to utilise their Mirai. Some Mirai are used only for transport
between business locations and/or only during business hours. Other Mirai are used in businesses
where driving is part of normal operations and subsequently the vehicles are refuelled more
frequently.
On average customers refuel every 10 working days, however the usage case varies from customer
to customer.
kg hydrogen dispensed (all sources of hydrogen)
Dec 21 Jan 22 Feb 22 Mar 22 Apr 22 May 22 Jun 22 Jul 22 Aug 22 Total
kg dispensed 22.52 85.25 140.91 123.28 96.25 87.34 102.78 92.91 66.81 818.04
Capacity factor* 6% 4% 8% 5% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
*Compared against 80kg produced every day.
N/A – electrolyser off line.

The demand is likely to increase slowly over time as more Mirai and other vehicle types become
available, however the Altona plant is currently limited to 80kg per day production.
Since refuelling commenced in March 2021, Toyota Australia has completed 592 refuels and
dispensed 1299 kg of hydrogen.
For clarity, the totals through to end August 2022 are 386 refuels & 818 kg dispensed.
The average dispensed per fill is 2.4kg and varies from 0.5kg to 5.1kg. Average time for a refuel
including system pre-checks is 4:09 minutes, however the average time gas is actually flowing is
2:15 mins.
Customers are using the Mirai in similar patterns to ICE vehicles and will arrive to the refueller
with remaining range varying from 10km to 200km. Customers will either drive specifically to
Altona to refuel or may vary an existing trip to incorporate a refuel stop.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 22

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

8. Capital & Operational Costing

The cost modelling for the cost per kg hydrogen gas generated on site show it is possible to
generate hydrogen below $15 per kg.
The cost per kg of hydrogen gas is highly dependent on the amount generated and the percentage
of renewable power used. Calculations specific to Ecopark show that producing 60kg/day for 250
days per year yields a cost per kg of $20.93, whereas 30kg/day for 150 days results in cost per kg
of $53.25.
The use of renewable energy is highly influential in reducing costs and should be included in
planning for hydrogen generation facilities, particularly considering the availability of power
Purchase Agreements. Producing 60kg/day for 250 days per year with 100% solar yields a cost
below $15 per kg. Toyota is continuing to invest in renewable infrastructure at the Altona site,
which will further reduce the cost of renewable hydrogen.
The cost of water per kg contributes $0.07 per kg. Therefore any capital involved in capturing and
refining rainwater should be carefully planned prior to implementation. Environmental
considerations and the ability to operate independently on any water grid, particularly in remote
areas should be considered.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 23

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Appendix 1 – Facility Overview

^Product & company names are trademarks of their respective owner.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 24

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 25

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Interior of the HEC, showing cut

section of Mirai hydrogen tank &
Generation 1 Mirai on display.

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 26

TOYOTA AUSTRALIA

Appendix 2 - Engagement Report

Ecopark Feasibility Report [Final] Page 27

 Troy D'Souza
New Business Solutions PROTECTED
TMCA HYDROGEN PROJECT - ENGAGEMENT REPORT (JAN - JUN 2022) 15/08/22
#

4 MIRAI CUSTOMERS IN AUSTRALIA (as of Aug -22)

- Currently there are 14 new generation Mirai FCEV with customers in Australia (11 vehicles in Melbourne; 2 vehicles in Canberra; 1 vehicle in Perth)
- Mirai has a diverse customers ranging from, industry and utilities groups, security firm and local council with interest growing in other regions where infrastructure is being developed

5 JAN - JUN 2022 ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES (Images of some events)

Japanese Ambassador and Consul General of Japan Visit Mitsui Visit

Wodonga TAFE Visit Northernn Grampians Council Visit Acciona Visit Engie Visit TCT Benficiaries

Ambulance Victoria Visit Victoria Government - DEWLP Visit Fire Rescue Victoria Visit TCT STEM Teacher Visit

Ron Finnemores Transport Visit ARCC Visit FMO Fleet Conference Japanese Embassy Visit

AFL Partnerships Ventia Visit ARENA Visit Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek Event IVECO Visit

Corporate Services Hoshin Day NERA Visit ATCO Visit Japanese Emperor's Birthday (Melbourne)

Toyota Teammates Conference (Melbourne) SportNXT Conference (Melbourne) Energy Networks Conference 2022 (Brisbane)

Australian Hydrogen Conference 2022 (Adelaide) Western Australia Police Mirai (Perth) Consul General of Japan and SA Government (Adelaide)

5 FUTURE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES (NEXT STEPS)

Note: Hydrogen Centre tours and events are being tracked on separate register by month

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

• Mirai Challenge: The Long Drive Event (Completed) • National Tree Day Event (Completed) • Bowens Trade Expo (Mirai Display)
• Mirai Challenge: Hydrogen Energy Demonstration (Completed)
• ARENA visit - Alex McIntosh, Ian Kay, Georgia Lourandos, Alexandra Motbey