WA’s renewable hydrogen industry gets $61.5M boost

Western Australia’s expanding renewable hydrogen industry will see $61.5 million in new investment from the McGowan Government to boost 21st century jobs and support the shift to a low-carbon future.

The McGowan Government is planning to establish a $50 million fund, also included in the 2021-22 Budget, to expand local demand for renewable hydrogen in the transportation and industrial sectors and to create an incentive for additional investment in renewable hydrogen.

The Oakajee Strategic Industrial Area (SIA) will receive funds in the 2021-22 budget to construct and enhance infrastructure to support a significant renewable hydrogen hub in the Mid-West.

This government contribution of $7.5 million to help with access to the Oakajee SIA will go a long way toward fulfilling the government’s election promise of helping activate the precinct.

This money will go towards development of the Oakajee activation plan and the additional infrastructure requirements, as well as for increased research and development for the Renewable Hydrogen Unit under the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

In an effort to meet the commitment they made to fund three industry-led feasibility studies on renewable hydrogen projects, the McGowan Government announced that they were pledging $900,000 to get the research underway.

Projects to assist industry development in both metropolitan and regional WA are supported by the McGowan Government’s existing $15 million Renewable Hydrogen Fund.

BP Australia will receive $300,000 to support their Kwinana Clean Fuels Hub plan, which will utilize BP’s existing Kwinana refinery facilities for the generation of green hydrogen and clean fuel.

In two separate feasibility studies, new technologies and capacities will be evaluated to help renewable hydrogen be transported.

The Parmelia pipeline will be converted into a 100% hydrogen pipeline by APT Management Services, who will receive $300,000 to conduct the study.

Green hydrogen will be exported from Australia’s Gascoyne region to the Asia-Pacific by way of a compressed hydrogen shipping solution, with Global Energy Ventures receiving $300,000 in funding.

Over $30 million has already been allocated by the McGowan Government to create job-creating renewable hydrogen in WA, and the McGowan Government is meeting all of the goals set out in the WA Renewable Hydrogen Strategy.