The Australian Hydrogen Council (AHC) has welcomed the newly elected Federal Government and called on it to give the emerging hydrogen market the policy certainty it needs to thrive.
Speaking at the Australian Hydrogen Conference in Adelaide, AHC CEO Dr Fiona Simon called on the Albanese Government to urgently introduce policy to create a market for hydrogen.
“The eyes of the new energy world are fixed on Australia. Our trade partners are closely watching how we develop this market and the work of our members is making people sit up and take notice,” Dr Simon said.
“But the hydrogen economy can’t wait for market forces alone to drive decarbonisation. We need policy certainty and co-ordination to get this market to scale.
“This could include market mechanisms to value carbon emissions, clean energy and fuel standards, taxation support for research and development, new investment, and targeted transition deadlines.
“Pressure is mounting because we can see the effects of climate change right now and energy security is a priority issue globally. The time for action is now.”
Global industry leaders and stakeholders have converged on Adelaide to share the latest insights and emerging projects at the Australian Hydrogen Conference. Among the speakers are: The Hon. Peter Malinauskas MP Premier, Government of South Australia; The Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP, Minister for Energy and Mining, Government of South Australia; Dr Stefan Kaufmann, Innovation Commissioner for Green Hydrogen, Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and Holger Losch, Deputy Director General – Executive Board, Federation of German Industries
South Australia Minister for Energy, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP, said South Australia’s unique combination of wind and solar resources creates an unprecedented opportunity for the State to lead the global transformation of the energy sector.
“This Australian Hydrogen Conference is an opportunity to showcase our Government’s ambition to an international audience,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
“Our goal is to maintain our continued world leadership in energy transformation while generating thousands of new jobs for South Australians and unlocking a $20 billion pipeline of renewable energy projects.”
“This conference is the key meeting place for Australia’s hydrogen industry and we are delighted to bring everyone to Adelaide as the South Australian Government has shown great ambition for its hydrogen industry,” added Dr Simon. “Those in attendance will hear first-hand of plans and major developments by South Australia.”
The Australian Hydrogen Council also celebrates its 100-member milestone at the conference, solidifying its position as the peak body for the hydrogen industry, representing companies across the entire hydrogen value chain including vehicle manufacturers, energy companies and infrastructure providers.
“The AHC has gone from strength to strength as our members are not only at the fore of the industry driving some of the biggest projects, but they are also behind the scenes working on technical groups and committees to develop standards and social licence frameworks,” Dr Simon added.
