Hydrogen works. The problem is making it cheap enough to use in bulk.
Horizon Power has a history of experimenting with alternatives such as wind turbines. As there really aren't any grid scale batteries in the market yet I guess they are hedging their bets. It is a relatively small trial so I guess the risk is low. No doubt they will be encouraged to trial hydrogen by the scientific community and the state government. WA has plenty of remote communities running off diesel.
There are several renewable hydrogen projects under way around Australia.
The key to making renewable energy grid scalable is energy storage. There isn't a one battery suits all storage solution. Hydrogen stored temporarily and then used to run a fuel cell or a generator is one option. Hydrogen converted to ammonia and transported is another.
The more people try this, in somewhat unique circumstances, the quicker we will find out what works and what doesn't.
