Council scopes regional renewable hydrogen opportunity
23 November 2018
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McGowan Government's Renewable Hydrogen Council meets for the first time
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Western Australia well positioned to produce and export renewable hydrogen, driving new job opportunities for the regions
WA Government:
The McGowan Government's newly established Renewable
Hydrogen Council, which will meet for the first time today, is focused
on opportunities for
Western Australia to capture a share of the global
demand for clean energy.
The McGowan Government is looking at how to capitalise on
WA's vast land and
renewable energy resources, including wind and
solar, to deliver renewable
hydrogen to export markets.
The council, a collective of government (State and national), industry
and other representatives with significant renewable hydrogen industry
expertise, will be led by Regional Development Minister Alannah
MacTiernan.
Members have been drawn from the Office of the Minister for Energy;
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; Department of
Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation; Australian Gas Infrastructure
Group; ATCO Gas; Woodside; ENGIE; Hydrogen Mobility Australia; CSIRO;
ARENA; Yara; and Jackson McDonald.
As a fuel, hydrogen can be used in similar ways to natural gas. In
simple terms, it can be burned, used to create electricity, or stored
for future energy generation or export. When made using renewable energy
such as solar or wind, hydrogen is a carbon free fuel as, when burned,
the only by-products are water and heat.
The council will deliver its recommendations in early 2019.
Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Alannah
MacTiernan:
"Renewable hydrogen has the potential to be a major new industry for
Western Australia that can build on many of our strengths to provide
trading partners with clean energy.
"As the world moves to a lower carbon future, Western Australia has
enormous potential to provide the clean energy the world will need, but
the imperative is to move quickly and strategically.
"We are building on the momentum generated out of our Renewable Hydrogen
Conference, and I look forward to working with the council to explore
the strategic approaches that would help the development and growth of a
renewable hydrogen industry in regional Western Australia."
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Source: Western Australia Government - www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au
Contact: Minister's office - 6552 6200
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