Seven companies, including major BHP’s Nickel West division and oil and gas major Woodside, have progressed to the next stage of the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (Arena’s) A$70-million Renewable Hydrogen Deployment funding round.
Arena initially received 36 expressions of interest for hydrogen projects, worth a combined A$3-billion.
These applications have now been whittled down to seven projects vying for funding to build the first commercial scale hydrogen project in Australia.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said that the government’s partnership with industry would help Australia become a world leader in hydrogen production and exports, which will importantly create new jobs as the Australian economy recovers from Covid-19.