NSW Hydrogen backing welcomed under state's 2030 net zero emissions target
The announcement by the New South Wales Government to target the inclusion of up to 10% hydrogen in that State's gas networks by 2030, has been welcomed by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG).
The hydrogen push is part of the NSW Government's "Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020-2030" to achieve major greenhouse gas emission reductions over the next decade.
AGIG’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ben Wilson, said today the release of Stage 1 of the Net Zero Plan, including the commitment to establish a Hydrogen Program and set a target of up to 10% hydrogen in the gas networks by 2030, 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," he said.
"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.
“At AGIG, we are investing heavily in the long-term interests of our customers and the environment.
"Innovative renewable hydrogen projects across Australia are the key, with the Group's initiatives in this area now spread across four states."
Mr Wilson said the hydrogen base case as cemented into the new NSW plan, would generate globally significant work and substantially inform AGIG's vision to move to 100% hydrogen across the regions it serves in New South Wales and throughout Australia
"Beyond our own learnings, our work will also help emphasise the opportunity for total transparency to ensure full engagement with all stakeholders and consumers as we enhance the nation's energy mix.”
Australian Gas Networks (AGN), part of AGIG services about 60,000 customers in NSW through their gas distribution networks in Albury, Wagga Wagga and various towns in the south of the State.
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," he said.
Background
About AGIG
Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) formed in May 2017 with the coming together of three businesses – AGN, Multinet Gas Networks (MGN) and Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline (DBP). AGIG owns and operates one of Australia’s largest gas infrastructure businesses with operations across every mainland state and the Northern Territory supplying approximately 2 million customers. Operations include 40,000km of gas distribution and transmission pipelines, 60 petajoules of gas storage capacity, gas processing facilities and remote power generation.
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.
For further information contact
Craig de Laine, General Manager, People and Strategy, AGIG, T (08) 8418 1129 M (0403) 309 940
Andrew Staniford, Chief Customer Officer, AGIG, T (08) 8418 1125 M (0438) 897 174