The Western Australian Government has received a $140 million bipartisan federal funding commitment towards two new hydrogen hubs in Pilbara and Kwinana.
The Western Australian State Government budgeted $70 million to support the $140 million Pilbara Hydrogen Hub, with a range of local and international private partners.
The State Government also previously provided $300 000 to support a feasibility study for BP Australia’s $252.5 million H2Kwinana Clean Hydrogen Industrial Hub.
It is estimated that the two new hubs in Kwinana and the Pilbara will create more than 3,600 jobs and attract more than $410 million of new private and public investment to Western Australia.
The Federal Government has said it will also support the appraisal of a third potential storage site in Western Australia.
Western Australian Hydrogen Industry Minister, Alannah MacTiernan, said the bipartisan support was welcomed.
“This $140 million commitment will supercharge our renewable hydrogen industry, helping to stimulate local demand for hydrogen to get production projects off the ground,” Ms MacTiernan said.
“Renewable hydrogen presents a big opportunity for industries right across Western Australia to reduce their emissions and embrace a cleaner future. Our funding commitment to demand stimulation will help companies take that leap.”
Australian hydrogen production for export and domestic use could generate more than $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050.
Clean hydrogen exports could directly support 16,000 jobs by 2050, plus an additional 13,000 from the construction of related renewable energy.
The National Hydrogen Strategy released by the Federal Government in 2019 set the goal for Australia to become a major producer and exporter of clean hydrogen by 2030.
