A Hydrogen Industry Forum in Townsville has sparked plans to set up a working group with a focus on industrial land on the city’s southern outskirts.
State Development Minister Cameron Dick said the private sector had identified Townsville as an optimal location to develop hydrogen projects with long-term potential for the export of renewable hydrogen.
“Today’s forum has shown there is major interest and potential for jobs in Townsville in the new hydrogen industry,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve decided to establish a Townsville Hydrogen Industry Working Group, which will report to the Townsville Industrial Development Board, and will focus on attracting industrial development to Townsville’s Southern Industrial Corridor.”
More than 150 local, national and international business and industry leaders attended Queensland’s first regionally based Hydrogen Industry Forum in Townsville.
Speakers included the Queensland Government’s strategic hydrogen advisor Professor Ian Mackinnon, and senior representatives from Origin Energy and Sun Metals Corporation.
Both major companies are pursuing opportunities for renewable hydrogen, building on the significant investments they have made over recent years to decarbonise their businesses.
“We’re very pleased that companies of the calibre of Origin and Sun Metals are actively pursuing renewable hydrogen projects and we are looking forward to working with them to bring these projects to life,” Mr Dick said.
“A sustainable hydrogen industry has all the qualities to provide a new source of economic growth, open export markets and generate highly skilled jobs for Queenslanders.”
The Townsville Hydrogen Forum follows the release of the government’s five-year Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy and Hydrogen Industry Development Fund, a $15 million contestable funding program to support eligible hydrogen projects establish in Queensland.
Expressions of Interest to the fund have been shortlisted and the State Government says the successful projects will be announced in the near future.
Source: Industry Queensland
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