Hydrogen: Australia’s new liquefied natural gas EnergySource by Mary-Rose de Valladares
A hydrogen fuel cell bus waits at a bus station (Scharfsinn/Shutterstock)
Australia aims to be a leading producer and exporter of renewable (“green”) hydrogen by 2030. It is already the world’s largest exporter of coal and the second-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In response to the climate change challenge, Australia is emulating its own LNG export success in order to position itself for a new role as a major hydrogen producer and exporter.
Before the July 2019 release of Australia’s
National Energy Strategy, the government had already authorized AUD 500 million (USD 355 million) for hydrogen projects. Subsequently, hydrogen was included in the Australian government’s 2020 investment package for new energy technologies (AUD 1.9 billion/USD 1.35 billion). Of that amount, AUD 70.2 million (USD 53.3 million) is dedicated to hy