Australia, Germany sign hydrogen accord
Australia and Germany will invest in a series of new initiatives to accelerate the development of a hydrogen industry, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said on June 13.
The countries announced the Declaration of Intent between the Government of Australia and the Government of Germany on the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord. “The accord builds on our respective strengths, with Australia looking to be a major hydrogen exporter and Germany holding expertise in hydrogen technology and planning to import significant quantities of hydrogen in the future,” Morrison said.
|
Advertisement: The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) NGC’s HSSE strategy is reflective and supportive of the organisational vision to become a leader in the global energy business. |
The Australian prime minister added that international collaboration focused on technological innovation was key to getting new energy technologies like hydrogen to commercial parity.
“Our ambition is to produce the cheapest clean hydrogen in the world, which will transform transport, mining, resources and manufacturing at home and overseas,” Morrison said. “Developing new low emissions industries means more jobs for Australian workers, and cheaper energy means lower costs for businesses so they can reinvest in hiring more people.”
Under the accord, Australia and Germany will establish the German-Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator (HyGATE) to support real-world pilot, trial, demonstration and research projects along the hydrogen supply chain. Australia and Germany have respectively committed up to A$50mn ($38.5mn) and €50mn ($60mn) to establish HyGATE.
They will facilitate industry-to-industry cooperation on demonstration projects in Australian hydrogen hubs and explore options to facilitate the trade of hydrogen and its derivatives produced from renewables from Australia to Germany.
The accord builds on Australia’s existing collaboration with Germany on low emissions technologies including hydrogen, with a two-year supply chain study between the two countries already underway.