APPEA has welcomed the announcement that the Australian Government will advance the development of a national hydrogen strategy as the first step to developing a valuable new industry for the nation.
“There is tremendous interest globally in hydrogen as a new, cleaner fuel. Australia is well placed to capitalise on our already abundant natural advantage,” said APPEA Chief Executive Dr Malcolm Roberts.
The Hydrogen Strategy Group, chaired by the Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel AO, has highlighted the opportunity for Australia to export liquefied hydrogen alongside liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet the growing demand for cleaner energy across the Asia-Pacific.
“Australia’s LNG industry is ideally placed to support the growth of a new hydrogen export industry in Australia,” Dr Roberts said.
“Australia’s LNG export success story means our industry has the technology, the expertise and the commercial and trade relationships to make hydrogen exports a reality. Hydrogen is already being produced from Australian LNG exports. In the United States, natural gas is the dominant source of their growing hydrogen industry.”
Natural gas can provide a fuel source for hydrogen made through the process of steam methane reforming (SMR), with any greenhouse gas emissions generated during SMR managed through market offset or technical abatement to offer a carbon-neutral product.
“A number of APPEA members are already exploring those opportunities,” Dr Roberts said.
Strong partnerships across government, industry and the research community are essential if Australia is to make the most of the opportunity arising from this emerging technology.
