The Western Australian Government is set to boost the state’s growing renewable hydrogen industry with a new $61.5 million investment.
This investment includes $50 million to stimulate local demand for renewable hydrogen in transport and industrial settings and to drive investment into renewable hydrogen.
It also includes $7.5 million in funding to develop and upgrade infrastructure at the Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area (SIA) to establish a major renewable hydrogen hub in the Mid-West and create an access road into the Oakajee SIA to kick-start activation of the precinct.
An additional $4 million will be directed towards developing the plan for activation of Oakajee and for additional infrastructure requirements, and to bolster the Renewable Hydrogen Unit within the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, said, “Hydrogen offers incredible potential for our State, with the capacity to sit alongside iron ore or LNG as a major export commodity – supporting local jobs and delivering wealth for all Western Australians.
“This $61.5 million initiative will attract investment, support work to grow a local hydrogen production industry and drive local demand for hydrogen – delivering local economic benefits and helping Western Australia meet its emissions reductions targets.”
The new funding commitment comes as the Western Australian Government progresses a $900,000 investment towards three industry-led feasibility studies into renewable hydrogen projects across the state.
The studies, supported by an existing $15 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund, include projects in metropolitan and regional Western Australia to support industry development.
BP Australia will receive $300,000 to progress their Kwinana Clean Fuels Hub proposal, which would see BP’s existing Kwinana refinery facility used for green hydrogen and clean fuel production.
Two feasibility studies will examine technologies and capabilities to support the transport of renewable hydrogen.
Western Australian Hydrogen Industry Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, said, “Renewable hydrogen presents a big opportunity for industries right across Western Australia to reduce their emissions and embrace a cleaner future, and our funding commitment to demand stimulation will help companies take that leap.
“This latest round of feasibility studies presents exciting opportunities for hydrogen across Western Australia.
“BP’s proposal to convert the old Kwinana oil refinery into a green hydrogen hub will help to revitalise Kwinana and bring this facility into a low-emissions future.
“We’ve seen real success off the back of previously-funded studies – including our $375,000 investment into feasibility of ATCO’s Clean Energy Innovation Park in early 2020, which went on to secure a $28.7 million Australian Renewable Energy Agency grant.”
APT Management Services will receive $300,000 to study the conversion of the Parmelia gas pipeline into a 100 per cent hydrogen pipeline.
Global Energy Ventures will receive $300,000 to evaluate the technical and commercial feasibility of exporting green hydrogen to the Asia-Pacific from the Gascoyne utilising a compressed hydrogen shipping solution.
