On Saturday, Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced that Australia would build a A$51 million ($34 million) renewable hydrogen facility in Victoria state.
Bowen said the 10-megawatt electrolyzer in Wodonga, Victoria, would be the largest in Australia and blend green hydrogen into gas networks to service 40,000 households.
Australia wants to increase hydrogen production to minimize fossil fuel use and fulfill trading partners’ emissions goals. Bowen said the new electrolyzer, which generates low-emission hydrogen from renewable power, would be built this year and operational in 2025.
Bowen said Victoria, ARENA, and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation funded the project. He said a wind farm would power it.
ARENA stated that the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group would deliver the project with the money.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said Australia has never produced so much renewable hydrogen.
“It’s essential to scaling up Australia’s renewable hydrogen industry that we get these first-generation projects up and running,” Miller said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor administration launched a A$2 billion “Hydrogen Headstart” program in May to boost hydrogen fuel production and exports.
