GEH2 Hydrogen Generator FAQs With Tristan Yuswak

Powered by hydrogen, the GEH2 Hydrogen generator is the first of its kind. It is specially designed to replace diesel or gas gensets in mobile, prime and standby applications. 

Here, our Head of Future Fuels, Tristan Yuswak talks through this innovative clean power solution. 

The GEH2 uses hydrogen with a Toyota fuel cell and a lithium-ion phosphate battery to produce 100kVA of instant power. The fuel cell and the battery work together to service whatever load it is providing or servicing at the time in the most efficient way. 

The only operating emission is a little hot water and filtered air. It’s a completely clean, consistent source of power without diesel fumes or CO2 emissions.  

Yes. But more to allow for the necessary downtime the GEH2 requires every 24 hours or so. Also, pairing the genset with a diesel generator compared to a secondary GEH2 is cheaper, albeit at the cost of deploying 100% clean dispatchable power. 

The GEH2 is purpose-built for Australian mining and construction.  

Some of the unit’s most notable benefits include: 

• Diesel generator replacement: The GEH2 is a drop in solution to replace a 100kVA diesel generator. 
• Zero emissions: If the unit is powered by green hydrogen, it is 100% zero emission. 
• Zero noise pollution: Ideal for construction & event sites where noise is a consideration. 
• Multiple applications: Ideal for events, data centres, construction, and mining.  
• Flexible: The GEH2 can synchronise with gas or diesel generators and the electrical grid. 
• Durable design: Able to withstand the temperatures and harsh conditions of remote locations and still output a reliable source of energy. 

The GEH2 is packaged in a way that’s portable, robust and designed for use in the rental, mining and construction industries. 

Applications of the GEH2 include: 

• Mine sites: The GEH2 has recently proven successful for powering on-site electric buggies on a remote gas production facility. It’ll also comfortably power mine site bore pumps, site offices and security huts. 
• Construction sites: Powering site offices and facilities, cranes, electric construction equipment. 
• Live events: The GEH2 recently powered LED screens, food stalls, lighting and sound systems at the 2023 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. It can also power-up large scale sporting grounds like Melbourne’s iconic Marvel Stadium.  
• Telecommunications: Powering telecommunications towers and service centres, ensuring continuity of service in all circumstances.  

The GEH2 only needs a periodical assessment every six months to assess the cooling levels and to clean out (or replace) the air filter.  

Otherwise, the unit works mainly through an online interface and will flag any problems, faults or notable events before it affects the overall operation. The managing software and plug and play set up makes it very user friendly, giving the user all the information needed for operation.  

The GEH2 even includes online remote monitoring via the cloud to view hydrogen status, usage profile and location.  

The GEH2 is available in a 100kVA/80kW unit. It’s perfect for those who need a strong power supply, without compromising on emission output. 

The 100kVA GEH2 will comfortably power off-grid construction sites, entertainment and sporting events, environmentally sensitive areas, and backup power for hospitals and data centres.  

The availability of hydrogen is good, pricing is roughly $56/kg delivered (in metro areas). This will most likely be ‘grey’ hydrogen, as it is the most common way to produce hydrogen. ‘Green’ hydrogen, on the other hand, is still quite rare as the infrastructure to support it is still in its infancy.  

Hydrogen fuel comes in ‘man packs’, which are steel cages roughly the size of a pallet (footprint) and weigh roughly 1200kg. Each man pack contains approximately 9kg of hydrogen. 

The GEH2 consumes 1kg of hydrogen for every 20kW load step per hour (20kW = 1kg/h, 40kW = 2kg/h etc) 

We expect as technology advances and the adoption of hydrogen as a fuel source increases, so will the infrastructure to store and transport it.  

Although Hydrogen is a flammable gas, it is much safer than gasoline or natural gas. 

If there is a leak, it dissipates quickly into the air at 40m per second. Hydrogen is also the lightest element on the periodic table, so it won’t seep into lower areas like LPG or petrol vapours. 

Hydrogen tank liners are also incredibly durable. In fact, Toyota put this to the test by firing a shotgun at the tank to demonstrate its durability. After many trials, they were unable to breach the tank, successfully avoiding a leak.  

EODev CCO Stephane Jardin explains the safety of hydrogen:

The overall battery lifecycle is around 10 years (but this depends on how often the unit completes a full battery cycle eg. From 100% to 10% state of charge). It can be hard to measure as the fuel cell works to support the battery and will never allow it to discharge itself completely. 

The fuel cell will either operate to support or charge the battery, sometimes it may be in operation, sometimes not – making it hard to quantify the hours with certainty. Also, the fuel cell can technically run beyond the 15,000 hours, albeit with a slight degradation of performance. 

Blue Diamond Machinery has been powering the industries that power Australia’s economy for over a decade. Now, we’re helping them transition to an emission-free future. 

Whatever stage your business is at, we have the know-how and expertise to recommend the right solution.  

For advice on taking the first steps to reduce your onsite emissions without compromising productivity or efficiency, get in touch with the team today.