AGIG welcomes Federal Labor’s hydrogen strategy
Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) – currently building Australia’s largest electrolyser, Hydrogen Park SA, in partnership with the South Australian government - welcomes today’s announcement by Federal Labor of a $1.14 billion national hydrogen strategy.
AGIG’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ben Wilson, said the Labor Party initiative was most timely considering the fast-moving development of the global hydrogen industry and emerging benefits.
Mr Wilson said the Hydrogen Park SA (HypSA) project will from late this year blend renewable hydrogen into the local gas distribution network in Adelaide, starting the decarbonisation journey.
“Hydrogen is a zero carbon fuel that has the potential to create a major new export industry for Australia, delivering jobs and growth as Australian solar and wind resources are stored in the form of hydrogen and exported to energy hungry North East Asia. Northern and regional Australia, with the best solar and wind resources, are particularly well placed to benefit,” he said.
“Hydrogen also has the potential to revolutionise the nation’s transport and heat sectors. Hydrogen fuel cell cars, trucks and trains can combine zero emissions electric motors with the fast refuelling and long ranges associated with diesel vehicles today.
“An important consideration for the haulage sector is that hydrogen is actually lighter than diesel per unit of stored energy, whereas batteries are significantly heavier.”
Mr Wilson said hydrogen can be blended into Australia’s natural gas networks and pipelines, to start the journey towards a decarbonised heat sector.
“In the medium term, the gas distribution networks can be converted to 100% hydrogen, delivering zero carbon energy for cooking, hot water and heating,” he said.
About Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG)
In 2017, Australian Gas Networks (AGN), Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline (DBP) and Multinet Gas Networks (MGN) came together to form AGIG.
These combined distribution, transmission and storage assets make AGIG one of the largest gas infrastructure businesses in Australia. AGIG has approximately 2 million customers covering every mainland Australian state and the Northern territory, 34,000 kilometres of distribution networks, over 3,500 kilometres of gas transmission pipelines, and 42 petajoules of gas storage capacity. AGIG’s vision is to be the leading gas infrastructure business in Australia by delivering for customers, being a good employer, and being sustainably cost efficient.
Issued: 22 January 2019
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For further information please contact
Ben Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group
M +61 477 705 484 / T +61 8 8418 1124
Media enquiries
John Field, Field PR, T (08) 8234 9555 / M (0418) 819 527