Emission Control: Australia must fast-track hydrogen projects if it wants to cash in: report

Australia has more than 100 hydrogen projects worth up to $300 billion in the pipeline – but must get a move on if it wants to ride the wave, a new report says.

Australia can ride the green hydrogen wave, but it needs to take the plunge with projects, a report says. Picture: Getty Images

Emission Control is Stockhead’s fortnightly take on all the big news surrounding developments in renewable energy.

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With more than 100 hydrogen projects in the pipeline – worth up to $300 billion and representing around 40 per cent of the word’s such clean hydrogen announcements – Australia could become a global leader … if it can get it can get its act together.

That is one of the major key takeaways in the 2022 State of Hydrogen report released by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water last Thursday.

The report says we desperately need to accelerate development of priority pilot projects and hydrogen hubs.

It has highlighted a huge opportunity for local industry to advance hydrogen as a chemical feedstock and for export to generate electricity, but warns that so far, most of the project announcements in this pipeline are yet to reach final investment decisions.

Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the report represents an urgent call to action.

“Australia faces determined competition from other countries in the hydrogen race, that also see the hydrogen opportunity and are implementing substantial and practical measures to stimulate their own industry growth,” he says.

“This report is an important input into how and where we need to focus our effort.

“The next steps will be critical to keeping Australia on the path to be a global hydrogen leader by 2030, with an industry that will help decarbonise our economy as well as developing the new export industries our economy will need to ensure our ongoing prosperity.”

The Albanese government is fast-tracking hydrogen investment through initiatives including the development of regional hydrogen hubs, the German-Australian HYGATE scheme, and various funding pools, such as the Power the Regions Fund, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), and Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).

Investing in homegrown research

ARENA, on behalf of the Australian government, has revealed $50 million for two funding rounds targeting research and development for renewable hydrogen and low-emissions iron and steel.

A total of $25 million will be allocated to each funding round with an initial laboratory-based phase followed by a commercialisation phase aimed at scaling up and demonstrating research breakthroughs.

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On the hydrogen front, ARENA says the two funding streams will focus on improving the production of renewable hydrogen (and hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia) as well as investigating storage and distribution solutions.

Funding in the iron and steel round space will look at ways to reduce emissions across the value chain.

ARENA acting CEO Chris Faris said the two rounds would help scale up renewable energy and low-carbon exports.

“We’re already seeing renewable hydrogen scaling up, but there’s still more to be done to improve efficiency, while storing and transporting the fuel at scale are looming challenges.”

ASX companies with renewable energy news

IGO (ASX:IGO)

IGO’s joint venture with Andrew Forrest’s privately owned Wyloo Metals has secured a site in Kwinana for a proposed nickel sulphate plant and battery PCAM production facility.

The plant would take WA, one of the world’s great battery metals hubs as a producer of half of the world’s lithium and a sizeable portion of class 1 sulphide nickel, further down the lithium-ion battery production chain than it’s ever been.

It is also the outcome of a deal struck by Wyloo and IGO which ensured Wyloo’s support for the latter’s $1.3 billion acquisition of WA nickel miner Western Areas last year after Forrest’s privately owned explorer built a blocking stake in the deal.

A feasibility study is due in mid-2024, with IGO and Wyloo also looking to engage a partner with previous experience in PCAM (precursor cathode active material), given the project would be the first in Australia to head that far up the value chain at a commercial level.

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ALTECH BATTERIES (ASX:ATC)

Altech has made significant progress in incorporating high-capacity high-purity alumina-coated silicon and graphite in lithium-ion batteries, and recently wrapped up a preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for the construction of a 10,000tpa silumina anodes facility in Germany.

As the company races to bring its patented technology to market, construction work has kicked off at its pilot plant next to the proposed project site to facilitate the qualification process for the silumina anodes product.

So far, this is progressing well and according to plan, ATC says.

“The front end of the pilot plant, also known as the wet circuit, is making excellent progress, with power supply, laboratory, building modifications, and front-end wet circuit infrastructure completed,” the company reports.

Meanwhile, the on-site laboratory has been established and is currently going through commissioning with final items to be installed by the end of Q3.

WEST WITS (ASX:WWI)

The approval of power supplies from Johannesburg’s city grid will lead to a massive saving on energy at West Wits Mining’s 4.28Moz Witwatersrand Basin gold project, in a major boost for its economics.

Joburg City Power’s Planning Evaluation Committee has given approval for the supply of 7.5MVA bulk power to the company’s Phase-1 Qala Shallows development at a cost estimated to be around 75 per cent less expensive than using diesel power generators.

Diesel will remain an important part of Qala Shallows, WWI CEO and managing director Jac van Heerden said, ensuring constant power supply during load shedding and outages.

But securing grid power would help reduce costs and de-risk the early stages of the development.

“The 7.5MVA bulk power supply approval for the Qala Shallows Project is a significant milestone.

“Joburg City Power’s supply is estimated to be approximately 75% cheaper than using diesel power generators,” van Heerden said.

This content first appeared on stockhead.com.au

At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Altech Batteries is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.

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