In its efforts to harness renewable hydrogen to clean up transport the Victorian Government is looking to fast-track the emerging technology with $7 million of funding for trials and studies.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today announced recipients of grants whose projects will support the development of Victoria’s renewable hydrogen sector.
Six projects will receive $6.6 million as part of projects producing and using renewable hydrogen in real-world applications.
Among those to receive grants are Air Liquide and Energys Australia who will develop renewable hydrogen production facilities for transport while Boundary Power will develop an Australian-first −solar-renewable hydrogen standalone power system.
The Boundary Power system will convert solar power into hydrogen and use that hydrogen to generate electricity during power outages or in remote areas that are not served by the grid.
Volgren Australia will develop two commercial-grade hydrogen fuel cell electric buses for trials in Dandenong, while Viva Energy will develop a hydrogen refuelling station to co-locate with EV charging in a public New Energies service station.
Telstra received funding to deploy a renewable hydrogen fuel cell generator at regional mobile communication sites, to strengthen the grid and remove the reliance on fossil fuels generators.
More than $600,000 will be shared by eight recipients through the Renewable Hydrogen Business Ready Fund to develop business cases or feasibility studies to support their transition to renewable hydrogen.
The grants are being delivered as part of the Victorian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Plan – which was launched in February 2021 to foster a thriving renewable hydrogen economy in Victoria.
Renewable hydrogen is a key part of the Victorian Government’s clean energy transition, according to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio, which involves meeting a target of halving emissions by 2030.”
“These exciting projects will help businesses push the frontiers of renewable hydrogen and embrace this clean energy solution,” she said.
“Victoria’s support for renewable hydrogen sector will create new jobs while we drive down emissions across our economy by funding the infrastructure and innovation required to accelerate this change.”