Thiess to receive first locally assembled Toyota hydrogen generator

Mining services company, Thiess, is set to be the first customer to receive Toyota’s locally-assembled EODev GEH2 hydrogen fuel cell stationary power generator which the company plans to put to use in its mining operations in New South Wales.

Toyota Australia President and CEO, Matthew Callachor, made the announcement at a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the first GEH2 generator assembled at the company’s site at Altona in Victoria.

The 110kVA GEH2 power generator has been designed by EODev (Energy Observer Developments), a leading French company specialised in hydrogen solutions, with the support of Toyota Motor Europe and uses the same Toyota Fuel Cell System that powers the Mirai FCEV.

In October 2023, Toyota Australia announced it was partnering with EODev to assemble the generators at Altona and make them available through its local retail partner, Blue Diamond Machinery (BDM). It will also export units to New Zealand with Toyota New Zealand acting as the distributor in that market.

“This is a great day for us at Toyota and all of our like-minded partners that have brought this important project to fruition as we aim to help drive towards a more sustainable future,” Callachor said at the ceremony.

“For Toyota, it’s part of our multi-pathway approach to decarbonisation by providing Australian customers with a range of technologies and mobility solutions, including power generation, that help reduce carbon emissions.

“We are firmly committed to growing, and investing in, the hydrogen economy here in Australia and I’m particularly pleased that Thiess is set to become our first customer for this innovative hydrogen fuel cell generator.”

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Toyota has a long-standing history with Thiess that started when Sir Leslie Thiess imported the very first LandCruisers into Australia to work on the Snowy Hydro Scheme in 1958.

“Thiess then gained the Queensland and other state distribution rights from our parent company in Japan and was instrumental in building our brand here, particularly in rural and regional Australia,” Callachor said.

“Now, we are working together again in a new era as we collectively aim to build a better future for all Australians.”

Thiess Group Executive - Assets, Autonomy & Digital, Ramesh Liyanage, said Thiess is looking to add a second unit in the future as part of its own decarbonisation program.

“This year, as Thiess celebrates 90 years of operations – we are well-progressed in our journey to reduce carbon emissions from our operations, and we are determined to make a meaningful contribution towards decarbonising the world's resources sector,” he said.

“We’re pleased at the prospect of being the first customer to take the locally-assembled hydrogen fuel cell generator unit and are excited to be partnering with Toyota once again, this time on cutting-edge technology that has the power to shape a more sustainable future for the world.”

Toyota invested $3.27m in its facility at Altona to assemble up to 100 GEH2 generators over the next three years and aims to produce 28 in 2024 for customers largely in the mining, construction and events sectors.

Toyota said the GEH2 power generator can also be used to provide emergency backup power for hospitals, commercial buildings and anywhere where stable power supply is required.