❓ The Minister outlines the McGowan government's steps to develop the hydrogen industry in WA, highlighting investments, infrastructure development, policy settings, and international collaborations. They emphasise WA's leadership in renewable hydrogen and its role in decarbonising the economy.
AnsweredQoN 46Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RENEWABLE HYDROGEN INDUSTRY
46. Mr P. LILBURNE to the Minister for Hydrogen Industry:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to decarbonising Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what steps the McGowan Labor government is taking
to progress the development of the hydrogen industry in Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house of the potential opportunities in WA's
hydrogen industry, both locally and overseas?
46. Mr P. LILBURNE to the Minister for Hydrogen Industry:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to decarbonising Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what steps the McGowan Labor government is taking
to progress the development of the hydrogen industry in Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house of the potential opportunities in WA's
hydrogen industry, both locally and overseas?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for the question.
(1)–(2) I was at a breakfast the other day that I think
was attended by the member for Swan Hills as well. Of course , Minister
Johnston was there, too. The US ambassador made an observation at that
breakfast and I will paraphrase what she said: ''I love coming to Western
Australia because in Western Australia you can see the future.'' What I think
she was doing was acknowledging the important work that has been done in Western
Australia to tackle climate change through the decarbonisation of our economy
and through the energy transition, which is occurring through battery energy
and, of course, renewable hydrogen.
Western Australia has established
itself as a global leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry, with
approximately 30 different proposals from Kununurra in the north through to the
Pilbara, Gascoyne, midwest and Kwinana. We developed the Western Australian
renewable hydrogen strategy in 2019. In 2021, we created the dedicated hydrogen
industry portfolio that Hon Alannah MacTiernan did a superb job with. To date,
the McGowan government has committed over $170 million to develop the renewable
hydrogen industry. Through this investment, we are proud to have achieved in
2022 the goals outlined in the renewable hydrogen industry strategy.
Our
government is providing ongoing support to develop and implement hydrogen hubs
and is progressing planning around common-user infrastructure to support
large-scale renewable hydrogen production, storage,
transport, export and use. We have allocated land to six hydrogen projects in
the Oakajee Strategic Industrial
Area, as well as made further allocations at the Boodarie and Ashburton North
Strategic Industrial Areas in the Pilbara. We have made advances in
ensuring that we have the right policy settings in place to support the
large-scale renewable hydrogen generation projects. The Western Australian
government is providing certainty and clarity to large-scale hydrogen producers
with the allocation of land and the release of renewable hydrogen policy and
guidance documents in December 2022. We have also made a $22.5 million
commitment to streamline approvals through WA's green energy
initiative.
The supply chain to support the
renewable hydrogen industry is critical. The McGowan government is working to
attract green energy assembling and manufacturing into WA to strengthen local
supply chains, including $8 million in funding towards wind turbine
manufacturing.
We
recognise the role of government in stimulating demand for renewable hydrogen.
Through the renewable transport program, we are aiming to accelerate the
uptake of hydrogen-fuelled transport and stimulate local production of
renewable hydrogen. We awarded a $10 million grant that was matched by Woodside
to set up by 2024 a new hydrogen refuelling station in the Rockingham Industry
Zone with associated hydrogen heavy vehicles. Looking forward, we are
developing a renewable hydrogen target scheme that will further help to
stimulate domestic hydrogen uptake. Internationally, we are working with the
Port of Rotterdam and the German federal government on a joint study to
accelerate hydrogen production and export before the end of the decade.
Madam Speaker, as you would be
aware, the Premier's recent highly successful visits to Japan and South Korea saw the signing of a new memorandum of
understanding with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and a new letter of intent with the
Republic of Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy . We
are aiming to progress opportunities for collaboration and investment with
these countries.
The future is incredibly exciting
because we are meeting the challenges of climate change by continuing to drive
the programs needed to decarbonise not only our economy, but also the economies
of the world as Western Australia becomes a renewable energy and renewable
hydrogen powerhouse.
member for the question.
(1)–(2) I was at a breakfast the other day that I think
was attended by the member for Swan Hills as well. Of course , Minister
Johnston was there, too. The US ambassador made an observation at that
breakfast and I will paraphrase what she said: ''I love coming to Western
Australia because in Western Australia you can see the future.'' What I think
she was doing was acknowledging the important work that has been done in Western
Australia to tackle climate change through the decarbonisation of our economy
and through the energy transition, which is occurring through battery energy
and, of course, renewable hydrogen.
Western Australia has established
itself as a global leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry, with
approximately 30 different proposals from Kununurra in the north through to the
Pilbara, Gascoyne, midwest and Kwinana. We developed the Western Australian
renewable hydrogen strategy in 2019. In 2021, we created the dedicated hydrogen
industry portfolio that Hon Alannah MacTiernan did a superb job with. To date,
the McGowan government has committed over $170 million to develop the renewable
hydrogen industry. Through this investment, we are proud to have achieved in
2022 the goals outlined in the renewable hydrogen industry strategy.
Our
government is providing ongoing support to develop and implement hydrogen hubs
and is progressing planning around common-user infrastructure to support
large-scale renewable hydrogen production, storage,
transport, export and use. We have allocated land to six hydrogen projects in
the Oakajee Strategic Industrial
Area, as well as made further allocations at the Boodarie and Ashburton North
Strategic Industrial Areas in the Pilbara. We have made advances in
ensuring that we have the right policy settings in place to support the
large-scale renewable hydrogen generation projects. The Western Australian
government is providing certainty and clarity to large-scale hydrogen producers
with the allocation of land and the release of renewable hydrogen policy and
guidance documents in December 2022. We have also made a $22.5 million
commitment to streamline approvals through WA's green energy
initiative.
The supply chain to support the
renewable hydrogen industry is critical. The McGowan government is working to
attract green energy assembling and manufacturing into WA to strengthen local
supply chains, including $8 million in funding towards wind turbine
manufacturing.
We
recognise the role of government in stimulating demand for renewable hydrogen.
Through the renewable transport program, we are aiming to accelerate the
uptake of hydrogen-fuelled transport and stimulate local production of
renewable hydrogen. We awarded a $10 million grant that was matched by Woodside
to set up by 2024 a new hydrogen refuelling station in the Rockingham Industry
Zone with associated hydrogen heavy vehicles. Looking forward, we are
developing a renewable hydrogen target scheme that will further help to
stimulate domestic hydrogen uptake. Internationally, we are working with the
Port of Rotterdam and the German federal government on a joint study to
accelerate hydrogen production and export before the end of the decade.
Madam Speaker, as you would be
aware, the Premier's recent highly successful visits to Japan and South Korea saw the signing of a new memorandum of
understanding with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and a new letter of intent with the
Republic of Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy . We
are aiming to progress opportunities for collaboration and investment with
these countries.
The future is incredibly exciting
because we are meeting the challenges of climate change by continuing to drive
the programs needed to decarbonise not only our economy, but also the economies
of the world as Western Australia becomes a renewable energy and renewable
hydrogen powerhouse.
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