Hydrogen leaders submit grant applications to secure green energy future
The North Queensland Hydrogen Consortium and its foundation partners recently submitted Federal Government grant applications under the “Activating a Regional Hydrogen Industry – Clean Hydrogen Industrial Hubs” scheme, to secure the future of the regional hydrogen economy.
Key design and implementation projects selected under these grant schemes will help kickstart more investment in the hydrogen industry in North Queensland.
A major project deliverable is the North Queensland Hydrogen Industry Master Plan aimed at mapping out key infrastructure to develop a hydrogen economy in the region and connecting some of Australia’s best co-located wind and solar resources to the national grid as planned by the CopperString transmission network.
The North Queensland Hydrogen Industry Master Plan will create investor-ready information and an implementation plan for common user infrastructure to activate large-scale hydrogen production integrated with the existing industrial and clean energy ecosystem in the region.
Foundation partners, led and supported by Townsville Enterprise, collaboratively selected projects that require immediate funding in a bid to secure common user infrastructure, design expansions of existing export capability, and feasibly define recycled water options for green hydrogen production.
Under the Federal Grant, applications include:
Activating a Regional Hydrogen Industry: Hub Development and Design Grants
North Queensland Hydrogen Consortium submission, delivered by Townsville - North Queensland Hydrogen Industry Master Plan
Ark Energy submission – Designed to feed into the Master Plan to create an end-to-end supply chain, from electricity, and hydrogen production to exporting and shipping
Activating a Regional Hydrogen Industry: Hub Implementation Round 1 Grants
North Queensland Hydrogen Consortium submission in partnership with Townsville City Council - NQH2 Sustainable Water Common User Infrastructure Delivery
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said the submissions are a positive step toward securing the North Queensland hydrogen economy to capitalise on the region’s unique geographic placement and optimise domestic and international export opportunities.
“The consortium is dedicated to seeing the potential of our hydrogen economy realised, ” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“We have all the ingredients to become a hydrogen hub and a collaborative hydrogen industry ecosystem will generate more jobs, advance manufacturing and could be a catalyst for the growth of small business capability and skills in the renewables sector and other flow on industries.”
“Funding a full master plan will optimise infrastructure investments and facilitate cost-effective industry development through cooperation and collaboration and could act as a key enabler for smaller proponents and new market entrants who may have less access to large capital funding to enter the industry in North Queensland.”
Fellow foundation partner Ark Energy headed up by Kathy Danaher believes our region can deliver on its bold ambition to become the most competitive producer of green hydrogen in the world.
“We can achieve our ambitious target, but this vision can only be delivered through collaboration and hard work across many parts of our regional community,” Ms Danaher said.
“The capability of this region is unmatched, and ensuring we take the right initial steps through master planning and appropriate common user infrastructure, we can harness the region’s natural resources for a new energy future.”
The grant applications now enter a stringent review process, with funding decision and announcement tipped for the first half of 2022.