05 May 2020
APPEA has welcomed the Australian Government’s establishment of an Advancing Hydrogen Fund to support the development of a commercial hydrogen industry in Australia.
The new $300 million fund could help secure the potential role hydrogen can play as a transport fuel, a chemical feedstock and a means to export energy between countries.
APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said the natural gas industry was well-placed to assist in the development of a large-scale and innovative commercial hydrogen industry, both in using natural gas to produce hydrogen and using gas infrastructure to process and transport hydrogen.
“Australia’s LNG export success story means our industry has the technology, expertise and commercial and trade relationships to make hydrogen exports a reality,” Mr McConville said.
“There is tremendous interest globally in hydrogen as a new, cleaner fuel. Australia is well placed to capitalise on our already abundant natural advantage.”
Hydrogen is already being produced from Australian LNG exports. In the United States, natural gas is the dominant source of its 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 (such as CCS) to offer a carbon-neutral product.
“A number of APPEA members are already exploring these opportunities,” Mr McConville said.
“We support strong partnerships across government, industry and the research community to ensure Australia makes the most of the opportunity arising from this emerging technology.” Download PDF
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