The government of South Australia has announced plans to move through with new laws that, according to the administration, will expedite the production of hydrogen in the state.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said in a statement presented at the Adelaide Hydrogen Conference that the new dedicated hydrogen legislation will license and control the production of hydrogen in South Australia.
The legislation will give a single entry point into government for licensing and regulating hydrogen generation projects, similar to what the oil, gas, and geothermal industries in South Australia have enjoyed, according to the release.
The new law will cover the production of all forms of hydrogen, including “green” hydrogen derived from renewable energy and “blue” hydrogen derived from methane in conjunction with carbon capture and storage to permanently sequester the associated carbon dioxide emissions, according to the document.
The state Labor administration informed the conference that it is soliciting designs and delivery options for the development of its new hydrogen factory in Whyalla.
South Australia, which derives over 60 percent of its energy from wind and solar, aims to achieve 100 percent net renewables by 2030 and become a world-class supplier of clean hydrogen.
Hydrogen development is one area of energy policy that has been supported by both political parties.
This month, the Labor Party of Australia interrupted nearly a decade of conservative control, when the previous Liberal government was washed away by a tsunami of support for candidates advocating greater action on climate change.
