Australia grants subsidy to Inpex for Darwin hydrogen hub project

Japan’s Inpex, along with its subsidiary Inpex Operations Australia, Santos, Xodus, and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, has been granted a subsidy of A$1mn from the Australian government for the feasibility study of the Darwin clean hydrogen hub in Northern Territory, the Japanese company announced on June 7.

Over the next 18 months, the partners will collaborate on a commercialisation study and various aspects related to the production, supply, and demand of hydrogen and its derivatives.

The study will include assessing the demand for hydrogen and its derivatives, such as methanol and ammonia, both in Australia and overseas, considering their applications in transportation, power generation, and as raw materials for chemical products.

Additionally, the study will evaluate the renewable energy sources required for the production and supply of green hydrogen, as well as infrastructure needs for site selection, water electrolysis, natural gas production, and carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) for blue hydrogen production.

The study will also analyse hydrogen storage capacity and requirements, explore the domestic use of hydrogen within Australia, and consider the supply chain for exports.