Australia and Germany to begin hydrogen feasibility study

Australia and Germany have signed a declaration of intent on a feasibility study “into the potential for closer collaboration and the future development of a hydrogen supply chain“.

The study will look at a supply chain between the two nations, covering production, storage, transport and use, and cover hydrogen and hydrogen carriers such as ammonia.

Trade minister Simon Birmingham said that such partnerships would be essential to developing a hydrogen industry in Australia, and links would need to be made with other nations as market demand grew. 

Energy minister Angus Taylor said the country’s hydrogen industry had the potential to generate 7,600 new jobs by 2050, many in regional Australia, with exports estimated to be worth around $11 billion a year in additional GDP.”  

The declaration announced on Friday morning — between Australia’s department of foreign affairs and trade and department of industry, and Germany’s ministry of education and research — is non-legally-binding, and does not impact agreements with other nations.

According to a statement on the DFAT website the study will focus on:

1. Comparison of the current technology and research readiness levels along the whole supply chain;
2. Exchange of technologies, knowledge and experiences between the partners on both sides;
3. Assessment of Australian potential to produce hydrogen and hydrogen based energy carriers from renewables for export to Germany and associated markets;
4. Identification of economic, technological and regulatory requirements for the transport of and trade in hydrogen and hydrogen based energy carriers produced from renewables;
5. Determination of demand and end use for hydrogen and hydrogen based energy carriers produced from renewables in relevant industries in Germany and associated markets;
6. Identification of economic, scientific, technological, regulatory and logistical barriers of the feasibility of the supply chain; and
7. Identification of business models for hydrogen and hydrogen based energy carriers produced from renewables.

Picture: Shutterstock

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