STRENGTHENING THE CASE FOR HYDROGEN STATES AND INDUSTRIES now committed to net zero emissions by
State Energy Minister Matt Kean recently highlighted hydrogen’s
2050 are developing ever more ambitious plans and committing eye-
incredible potential as an energy source from both industrial and
watering budgets to fund green hydrogen production and provide a
environmental perspectives.
basis for those targets. High environmental standards are being pledged too, and most
“A clean hydrogen industry can help us reach net zero emissions by 2050 and has enormous economic potential in decarbonising global
States and Territories have now signed up as Founding Partners
markets,” he said at the Smart Energy Council’s NSW Energy Summit,
in the Smart Energy Council’s Zero Carbon Certification Scheme
outlining plans to replace grey hydrogen with green to drive an energy
which is designed to authenticate the ‘green’ element in hydrogen
boom.
production. (Details page 34.) Queensland Minister for Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Mick de
“Accelerating that process is one of the key goals of the net zero industry and innovation program, which is our $750 million plan to
Brenni declared “We are sending a very clear message Queensland is
help industry to reduce emissions and help businesses to prosper in a
serious about decarbonising and that our hydrogen can be produced
low carbon world.”
to the highest environmental standards.” Speaking at the Smart Energy Council’s Queensland State Summit
The program includes multi-million dollar hydrogen hub developments in the Hunter and the Illawarra, which, he said “is all
de Brenni, who has been charged with the task of developing the
about positioning ourselves as an energy source and driving a clean
state’s Ten-Year Energy Plan, said his government’s $2 billion
industrial revolution that will help us to become a world leader in
Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund formed part of the
clean energy exports… as well as helping to ensure we meet our
significant funding to support new Renewable Energy Zones in the
commitment to go to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
state that will be the key driver in green hydrogen development and all the benefits that will flow. With its stated focus on the development of renewable hydrogen, the Queensland government-owned Stanwell Corporation is building a 3,000MW renewable hydrogen production facility outside Gladstone in partnership with Japan’s Iwatani Corporation. “In Queensland, our hydrogen production to energy will be powered
Tim Stock of the NSW Planning, Industry and Environment Department, who is leading the development of New South Wales’ hydrogen strategy and responsible for the delivery of the $70 million hydrogen hubs program, spelt out the ambitions at the Summit. The video recordings of the Summits are available at www.smartenergy.org.au
by renewable wind and solar energy because, quite frankly, there
Bold vision
isn’t really a domestic or international market for energy produced by
Andrew Horvath of Star Scientific which has developed the award-
anything else. We’re committed to a low emission, ethically produced,
winning HERO – Hydrogen Energy Release Optimiser, a zero-
hydrogen supply chain,” de Brenni told the Summit.
emissions hydrogen energy and heat solution – and he has a bold
NSW is also setting the pace.
LIEBREICH’S LADDER
message for industry.
Michael Liebreich: “Back by popular demand is Version 4.0 of my Clean Hydrogen Ladder. If you’re new to this, it’s my attempt to put the use cases for clean hydrogen - be it green, blue, pink, turquoise or whatever - into some sort of merit order, because not all uses of clean hydrogen are equally likely to succeed.”
28 SPRING 2021
