Māori-owned dairy manufacturer Miraka has launched New Zealand’s first green hydrogen milk collection tanker.
The vehicle, a 700hp Volvo green hydrogen-diesel dual-fuel milk collection tanker, was launched at the company’s dairy plant at Mokai, northwest of Taupō.
Miraka’s cultural advisor Eileen Bowden speaking to the Cambridge U3A group last week. Photo: Viv Posselt
Miraka chairman Bruce Scott said the launch marked ‘another significant milestone’ for the company, aligning with the founders’ kaitiakitanga vision and values and Miraka’s commitment to environmental care.
Company chief executive Karl Gradon said the tanker was designed to reduce milk collection CO2 emissions by about 35 per cent per vehicle. He commended Miraka’s transport and hydrogen partners, Central Transport Ltd and Halcyon Power, for their support.
He said a year to the day before the launch, the company entered a partnership with Central Transport and Halcyon, establishing a Rural Hydrogen Hub which it hoped to expand nationwide.
“Launching our first green hydrogen dual-fuel milk collection tanker one year later is a tremendous achievement which we look forward to seeing rolled out across the fleet,” he said.
Tūaropaki Trust, a cornerstone shareholder in Miraka, provides geothermal energy and steam for the Miraka dairy plant through its Mokai Power Station. Under a joint venture partnership with Japan’s Obayashi Corporation, Tūaropaki established Halcyon Power, New Zealand’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen plant.
Miraka’s new green hydrogen dual-fuelled milk tanker launched on September 4, is the first of its kind in the country. Photo: supplied
