Asia Pacific Infrastructure: August - September 2021

Page 25

August - September 2021

What is the government doing about the development of the hydrogen industry? New Zealand is one of the many nations looking into the optimum uses and transition paths for hydrogen in their energy systems and economies. With the government’s goal to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2035 and transition to a clean, green, and carbon-neutral economy by 2050, New Zealand needs to bring new technologies and policies to accelerate its renewable energy strategy. As scientists are working on new ways to produce hydrogen and improve electrolysis methods to bring down costs along with the government’s Advanced Energy Technology Platform’s NZ$9 million support for its research, New Zealand can make a significant difference if they achieve success in the same. If NZ succeeds in improving electrolysis methods for hydrogen production, the country will be able to use less oil and gas while also becoming an energy exporter, transporting tankers of liquid hydrogen to Asia and other parts of the world. NZ government has also been collaborating with various countries for the development of NZ’s hydrogen industry. The country plans to use its rich renewable energy to produce low-carbon hydrogen for export. Its recent cooperation agreements with Singapore, this month on hydrogen production, research, and deployment, after similar agreements with

MANAGEMENT

cient electrolysis methods? Is the government providing proper support for its development?

Japan and South Korea, can help New Zealand create an export industry. NZ can concurrently follow its objectives of decarbonising its heavy transport fleet and altering industrial heating processes, both deeply dependent on imported fossil fuels. Is Green hydrogen viable for the country? Though, green hydrogen can be used to decarbonise transport and industry applications, the costs associated with its production are enormous. That is one of the significant barriers for New Zealand. As per an expert team of Crown Research Institute,

GNS Science, electrolysis from renewable energy depends on high cost, inefficient components to make it work, making hydrogen generation in this way unviable compared to the widely used way of sourcing through fossil fuels. The institute has been working on an electrolysis system called polymer exchange membrane that is considered more adaptable to hydrogen production at a large scale but relies on catalysts based on metals that are inefficient and expensive. Hydrogen storage also remains a significant challenge due to the highly flammable nature of the gas. The country will also

need substantial storage facilities if it moves to replace petrol with hydrogen as a fuel, which many experts suggest becoming carbon-free by 2050. New Zealand can use new ways to advance electrolysis processes to generate hydrogen for the transport sector, and stationary power plants, which produces 40% of GHG emissions. helping the country immensely. In addition, more research and investment are needed for green hydrogen production. Moreover, global cooperation will be critical in accelerating the use of versatile and clean hydrogen worldwide. infrastructurenews.co.nz 25


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Articles inside

Further mortgage restrictions coming as house price growth continues

7min
pages 102-106

Is this the turning point of New Zealand’s property market?

6min
pages 100-101

Property investor confidence hits record highs

12min
pages 96-99

Preventing collapsing structures

2min
page 94

Kiwi innovation leading the way in concrete slab insulation

2min
page 95

Will the reformed RMA actually help deliver more housing?

5min
pages 88-90

Australia to slash planning times by 25 percent

1min
page 91

Facilities management with personal service

1min
pages 82-83

Residential construction reforms save time and improve quality control

10min
pages 84-87

China builds 10-storey tower in a day

1min
page 81

Chemical safety relies on meaningful cooperation

3min
pages 76-80

Infrastructure Skills Centre offers “work experience for a lifetime”

3min
pages 74-75

Safety app a crucial element in building site safety

3min
pages 72-73

Cordless machines and safer technologies will save lives

11min
pages 66-70

Is standardised training the way forward?

2min
page 71

Unlearning misguided muscle training keeps you pain free at home and work

6min
pages 62-63

Tips and myths around dogs

2min
pages 60-61

Safety focus on crane service standards

4min
pages 64-65

Bastion NZ launch Industrial glove range

1min
pages 58-59

Industry leader in soft fall protection on construction sites

2min
pages 56-57

Wood waste to take aluminium's place in food packaging

1min
page 35

No better investment than chemical safety training

3min
page 45

Thermal recycling - part of the solution not part of the problem

9min
pages 31-34

Scholarships supporting tomorrow’s health and safety leaders

1min
pages 52-53

What is workplace harassment and how to prevent it

2min
pages 54-55

How to become a successful green business

5min
pages 29-30

Winning the last mile in the supply chain race

2min
page 36

Can a vaccine for cattle help the dairy sector cut methane emissions?

6min
pages 27-28

The three paths to net-zero

5min
pages 20-22

The consequences of banning oil and gas exploration

4min
pages 25-26

Is hydrogen the future of energy?

4min
pages 23-24

AC Filter - an engineered solution protecting worker health

1min
page 13

Are we forgetting national self-sufficiency?

6min
pages 4-9

Schneider: data centres and smart homes

6min
pages 10-12

In search of the perfect surface - contractor invents new earth compactor

2min
pages 14-15

Climate change kicks into gear

3min
page 3
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