Hydrogen

State-owned electricity generator Stanwell has secured land in Aldoga, west of Gladstone, to build a large-scale 3 GW hydrogen electrolysis plant as part of its partnership with Japan’s Iwatani Corporation, well established in the hydrogen production industry.

Global Energy Ventures, the firm currently working on a 2,000t hydrogen cargo ship, has announced the commencement of construction on a 430t pilot-scale version to service the emerging market for economies wanting begin blending small amounts of green hydrogen into existing gas networks by mid-2020s.

Commodity trader Trafigura and Oslo-based ammonia leader Yara International ASA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see supply of clean ammonia as well as joint R&D projects as the two companies look to promote clean ammonia as a shipping fuel and develop its value chain and infrastructure.

Widespread green hydrogen deployment will be key to achieving stringent climate targets, and German hydrogen demand is set to grow from the 80 TWh range in 2030 to between 400 TWh and 800 TWh by 2050, according to a new joint study by several Fraunhofer-related entities.

It’s one thing to set a target for net zero, another to chart a course that will get you there in competitive form. Services are emerging to bridge the gap.

Two significant Australian-based industrial corporations, which impact global transport and building sectors, have signed an MOU to explore green hydrogen opportunities in Queensland.

Private sector fossil fuel spending on exploration is drying up just as modest rises in clean energy investments are being observed. With stock market investors increasingly embracing renewables, the IEA has observed positive signals in its latest energy investment report, but warned we are still doing far too little to keep global heating at bay.

The Smart Energy Council’s Zero Carbon Certification Scheme continues to gain traction with ammonia producer Yara the latest to sign on as a founding partner as it seeks to guarantee the green credentials of its products for customers both here and overseas.

New South Wales’ Productivity Commission has called on the state to reform its energy and water regulations, among other recommendations, in the White Paper report published this week.

Chief Executive of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Darren Miller, says he envisions a future where Australia will produce up to ten times more clean electricity than the country requires to become a “shining example of what is possible if you have the right ingredients and the right ambition.”