The projects come as part of the German-Australia Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator (HyGATE) under the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord, signed in June 2021, aimed at reducing the cost of renewable hydrogen production and supporting technology innovation in the industry.
Read more: Australian-Germany joint collaboration to accelerate hydrogen supply chains
Australia and Germany will be investing A$50m ($35.5m) and €50m ($54.4m) respectively into the new HyGATE projects. Australia has said it will provide:
A$20.74m ($14.7m) to Edify Energy to develop, construct and operate the Edify Green Hydrogen Project in partnership with Siemens to contribute to the Australia-Germany supply chain in Townsville, Queensland.
Read more: Edify granted approval for 1GW green hydrogen production plant in Australia
A$19.48m ($13.8m) to Vast Solar to develop a methanol production plant using heat from solar thermal energy, including a 10MW electrolyser producing green hydrogen in Port Augusta, South Australia.
A$8.98 ($6.39m) to Hysata to develop a new ‘capillary-fed’ electrolyser to test the delivery of low-cost hydrogen in Port Kembla, New South Wales.
Read more: Hysata receives HyGATE grant
A$800,000 ($569,000) to ATCO Australia for a feasibility study into deploying an electrolyser and ammonia facility in the Illawarra to make advancements in hydrogen technologies and storage in the Illawarra region, New South Wales.
Australian Minister for Climate Change, Chris Bowen, said the collaboration with Germany will help grow Australia’s hydrogen export market, adding, “These projects demonstrate Australia’s role as a world leader in renewable energy production, reducing the cost of hydrogen production and paving the way for exports.”
A report by Aurora Energy Research, released earlier this week (January 24), found that importing hydrogen from Australia to Germany would be cost competitive with domestic German production.
German Minister of Education and Research, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, said that by working with international partners, the country could phase out coal-fired power generation by 2038, and aid Australia reach Net Zero by 2050.
“Germany will continue to work with Australia to develop a clean, cost-effective green hydrogen supply chain to support our respective economies,” said Stark-Watzinger.
German Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Habeck offered his support for the deepened collaboration, saying, “I am pleased that we have decided to extend the Australia-Germany Energy Partnership to include climate, so that we can work more closely together in this area in the future.”
The renewed collaboration comes at a time when Germany is seemingly beginning to strengthen its hydrogen import potential. In January (2023) alone, the nation has announced plans for an import pipeline from Norway, as well as joining the H2Med project, connecting northern Europe with production centres in Spain and Portugal.
Read more: Germany and Norway strengthen hydrogen ties, plans for large-scale hydrogen pipeline
Read more: Germany joins H2Med under new Franco-German hydrogen commitments
Habeck added, “Hydrogen continues to be of particular importance to our cooperation and we want to build on the complementary interests of our countries.”
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