The New South Wales Government has released its Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020-2030, which includes a set target of up to ten per cent hydrogen in gas networks by 2030.
The state’s hydrogen target is outlined in the Plan in a commitment to establish a Hydrogen Program in order to achieve major greenhouse gas emission reductions over the next decade.
Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) Chief Executive Officer, Ben Wilson, said the release of Stage 1 of the Net Zero Plan, and the hydrogen targets, were highly positive moves.
“This is particularly so because of just how fast moving the development of the global hydrogen industry is, including widening community recognition of hydrogen’s benefits,” Mr Wilson said.
“NSW’s recognition of hydrogen as a cornerstone technology by as soon as 2030 is a major opportunity for Australia’s energy economy.
“The NSW Plan recognises the importance of enabling the blending of hydrogen with natural gas to decarbonise supply to residential and industrial customers, and further deliver wider benefits for other sectors such as transport.
“This step-change is consistent with Gas Vision 2050 released in 2017, which outlines the important role of gas today and the significant role gas and gas infrastructure can play in Australia reaching its carbon emission reduction targets through fuels such as hydrogen and biogas.”
Mr Wilson said NSW’s emergent role in supporting hydrogen as a base fuel feedstock would also go a long way to supporting the development of regional hydrogen hubs across New South Wales.
“Having such new-era infrastructure available will create substantially new industry and employment opportunities in regional NSW,” Mr Wilson said.
“AGIG plans to further support the NSW Government’s hydrogen stimulus by scoping some potential projects in our networks within the state, including Albury, whereby the size and scale of our networks in regional centres lends itself to a scalable model for wider replication within a broader low-carbon future.”
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