Keppel Data Centres in tie-up to explore Australia liquid hydrogen supply chain

KEPPEL Data Centres has tied up with 4 energy players to explore the development of a liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply chain between Western Australia and Singapore, and potentially Japan.

The partners are Australia's Woodside Energy, City Energy, Osaka Gas Singapore and City-OG Gas Energy Services.

Together, the 5 parties will explore the technical and commercial aspects of such a supply chain. The study will continue until mid-2022, they said in a joint statement on Wednesday (Dec 22). They have also inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Keppel Data Centres chief executive Wong Wai Meng said the MOU will explore the feasibility of using LH2 from Australia to power the company's data centres in Singapore, with potential applications for other Keppel business units in the future.

"This collaboration in the upstream LH2 supply chain complements the existing MOUs we have entered with various partners to explore the mid-to-downstream segments, including transportation, storage and regasification," he added.

Keppel Data Centres is a 70:30 joint venture between Keppel Corporation subsidiaries Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation (Keppel T&T) and Keppel Land. Keppel T&T is also the sponsor of Keppel DC Reit.

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The MOU comes after Woodside proposed a H2Perth hydrogen facility in Kwinana - where it is looking to establish a large-scale LH2 and ammonia export hub. The project site's location in Western Australia makes it ideal for shipping LH2 to Singapore and Japan, said Woodside chief executive Meg O'Neill.

She noted Keppel Data Centres, Osaka Gas Singapore, City Energy and City-OG Gas Energy Services as potential customers and end-users.

City Energy said the collaboration may "significantly support" its carbon reduction effort in piped town gas production or combustion.

Singapore's piped town gas provider is also in the business of green energy solutions through its sub-brand City Energy Life which offers low-carbon home solutions, as well as City Energy Go, which provides electric vehicle charging services.

City Energy, together with Japan's Osaka Gas, established City-OG Gas Energy Service in 2013 to provide energy solutions and retail gas to various industries. Osaka Gas Singapore is wholly owned by Osaka Gas Co - Japan's second-biggest natural gas provider.