Bundaberg council defends hydrogen powered garbage trucks

Bundaberg council’s moves toward trialling hydrogen-powered garbage trucks have been heavily criticised as being too expensive at a time when local residents are struggling to pay their rates or keep a roof over their heads.

Bundaberg Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor and former councillor Helen Blackburn.

Bundaberg Regional Council has defended its steps toward possibly trialling hydrogen powered garbage trucks in the region.

Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor said on Friday the council had “released a tender that seeks to investigate the feasibility of a trial of this technology” but had not yet made any formal decision to buy any hydrogen powered garbage trucks.

Agribusiness lawyer Tom Marland and former councillor Helen Blackburn, secretary of the newly formed Bundaberg Regional Ratepayers Association, issued a statement this week criticising the purchase of hydrogen powered garbage trucks as an “act of folly” that “ratepayers should not be expected to fund”.

“In Europe, hydrogen powered garbage trucks cost around $A 2.5 million – three times the cost of a conventional diesel version. They also only save about 60 tonnes of CO2 per year so their environmental benefit for the cost is negligible,“ Mr Marland said.

”Hydrogen is also an expensive fuel source – costing around $9 per kilogram for the same energy equivalent of $2 worth of diesel.”

Bundaberg Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor and former councillor Helen Blackburn.

Mr Trevor said the council always welcomed feedback from the community but it was “important to have all the facts”.

“Council has not yet made any formal decision to purchase hydrogen powered garbage trucks,” he said.

“Council is mindful of the impacts on ratepayers in every single decision it makes, not just major projects.

“We are also prepared to advocate for the development of new industries where we see the potential to grow jobs and diversify and strengthen our economy.”

Ms Blackburn said she had “watched the development of council’s hydrogen plans with great concern”.

“The council needs to focus on the fundamentals of local government which is to deliver best value for money for the ratepayer,” she said.

“Council has an obligation to ratepayers to make financially responsible decisions, and with current cost of living pressures this decision does not pass the pub test.

“Many people have chosen to live in the Bundaberg region because of its affordability of living. A Council with a high operating budget will continually increase rates in order to survive; this is a direct threat to the affordability of our region and not in the best interests of the ratepayers.

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey and former councillor Helen Blackburn, who said she had “watched the development of council’s hydrogen plans with great concern”.

“It is disappointing that council expects ratepayers to fund such foolish projects when many households in Bundaberg are struggling with rising costs of living, or for that matter with even finding rooves for over their heads,” Ms Blackburn said.

“If the average ratepayer in Bundaberg was asked whether they’d prefer a hydrogen powered truck to collect their rubbish or a reduction in their rates, I think we all know they’d take the rate reduction any day of the week.”

Mr Trevor said the council had noted the concerns and would take them into account before making any decisions on the hydrogen truck.

“All of the points raised are certainly a factor for all councillors when we make decisions on behalf of ratepayers,” he said.

Mr Marland also asked how the council would fuel the trucks, with no hydrogen facility in Bundaberg.

“Council should be focused on roads and rubbish as is their key role,” he said.

“Council has no place dabbling in a ‘pie in the sky’ hydrogen industry which is yet to be established in Australia, let alone the Bundaberg area, and has many, many hurdles and headaches to overcome before it becomes a run of the mill energy source in Australia.

“Now is not the time to be replacing perfectly functional diesel trucks with a new, untested technology which is very expensive and requires very expensive fuel to operate it.”

In February 2021, Bundaberg council facilitated the region’s first Bundaberg & Wide-Bay Bio-hydrogen Technology Cluster Group meeting.

Bundaberg Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor said the council had not yet made any formal decision to purchase hydrogen powered garbage trucks. Photo: Alistair Brightman

Since the initial meeting, the group has met on a quarterly basis and attendance has grown to more than 60.

The attendance ranges from industry proponents with technical hydrogen expertise to potential industry users wanting to learn how to obtain hydrogen as a fuel.

The council says it wants to further understand what the market capability is for bio-hydrogen and hydrogen powered waste refuse trucks.

Through the form of the Cluster Group, industry consultation has occurred regarding the needs and willingness to take part in the offtake of hydrogen and the associated vehicles.

According to the council, its overall objective is for the commencement of both a bio-hydrogen and hydrogen powered fleet industry, with local jobs and further economic outcomes for the region.

Originally published as Bundaberg council defends hydrogen powered garbage trucks