CSIRO has announced the launch of a Hydrogen Industry Mission to boost the industry by accelerating critical projects, improving research collaborations and creating new economic and job opportunities across the country.
Through the mission, CSIRO, government and partners in research and industry are investing more than $68 million to help build a hydrogen industry in Australia, with a focus on bringing down the cost of production and distribution, reducing emissions and creating jobs.
The investment complements the $275.5 million announced in the 2021/22 Budget to support the development of regional hydrogen hubs, and brings the Federal Government’s total support for Australia’s hydrogen industry to over $900 million.
Hydrogen is a key priority under the Federal Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap.
The Federal Government is seeking to work with industry to lower the cost of clean hydrogen to under $2 per kilogram. This is the point at which hydrogen becomes competitive with alternatives to allow for large-scale deployment across our energy systems.
Federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said collaboration will help to drive down the cost of new hydrogen technologies.
“Australia can be a world-leader in hydrogen and this partnership with the business and research communities is another positive step towards growing a clean and competitive hydrogen industry in Australia,” Mr Taylor said.
“Hydrogen offers enormous energy and economic benefits and has the potential to create more than 8,000 new jobs and generate $11 billion a year in GDP by 2050.”
Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Christian Porter, said the CSIRO Missions Program is about bringing together research and industry to address major societal challenges in key areas, and delivering positive outcomes that lead to job creation and economic growth.
“The CSIRO Missions Program is about improving the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of our established and emerging industries by fostering collaboration with the research sector to drive innovation,” Mr Porter said.
“CSIRO has an exemplary track record of fostering cutting-edge collaborations between government, universities, industry and the community.
“The Hydrogen Industry Mission is the latest ambitious effort that will see technology help to lower emissions by expanding our clean energy options.
“Research and development is critical to securing the efficiencies needed across the supply chain to drive down the cost of hydrogen, and this investment will create new job opportunities, grow the economy and leverage the global advantages presented by Australia’s potential to become a major hydrogen producer and exporter.”
The Hydrogen Industry Mission is supported by $38 million from CSIRO, with contributions of $18 million from industry partners and $12 million from the Federal Government. Over the next five years, the mission will continue to scale up to achieve the H2 under $2 objective.
In 2020, CSIRO identified a portfolio of initial missions in development to solve Australia’s greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. CSIRO will continue to launch future missions over the next 12 months.
For more information on the Hydrogen Industry Mission, click here.
