Work towards developing a hydrogen industry in Western Australia is now able to gain support from the $10 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund.
Projects which range from feasibility studies, demonstration, or capital works are able to apply for grants for between $300,000 to $3m.
“Renewable hydrogen could be the next big job-creating industry for Western Australia, utilising our world-leading renewable energy resources to produce, use and provide energy to our international partners,” said Regional Development Minister, Allanah MacTiernan.
The fund hopes to provide seed capital for projects which will subsequently receive investment from the private sector to create an economically sustainable hydrogen industry in WA.
“This fund will help to attract major private sector investment to WA to drive forward the emerging renewable hydrogen industry,” said MacTiernan.
The Minister also outlined which projects will be most likely to be successful in receiving funding.
“Priority will be given to applications that fall within WA’s four strategic focus areas for investment and demonstrate progress towards meeting the goals identified in the Strategy: export, use of renewable hydrogen in remote applications, blending in the gas network and use in transport,” she said.
The fund is part of the WA Hydrogen Strategy which was launched on July 18, 2019, which set the priorities for the development of hydrogen energy in WA. At the launch of the Strategy, MacTiernan noted that WA was uniquely positioned to be a leader in hydrogen energy.
”Hydrogen is a means to export our world-class solar and wind resources, helping our international trading partners to meet their emissions reduction goals, as well as supporting our industries to transition to a lower carbon future and driving a new job-creating industry for our State.”
The Strategy outlines the goal of WA to be a significant producer, exporter, and user of renewable hydrogen.