The WA Government is committed to ensuring Western Australia becomes a world leader in the emerging hydrogen industry with a newly created dedicated hydrogen portfolio.

In recent Ministerial appointments, Minister Alannah MacTiernan, who has actively pursued new energy as part of her previous portfolios, was appointed to lead the hydrogen portfolio.

In a round table hosted by Minister MacTiernan in December, major German and Australian businesses explored collaboration and partnership opportunities for the growing renewable hydrogen industry.

According to the Minister, Germany, which imports up to 70 per cent of its energy, was eyeing renewable hydrogen for its future energy needs.

“We have undertaken significant work with the German Government and industry over the past two years to lay the foundations for the State’s now-burgeoning hydrogen industry,” Minister MacTiernan said.

“This inaugural roundtable between Germany and WA is an important next step in driving forward our local hydrogen industry and supporting global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

“Western Australia has an extraordinary opportunity to become a leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry and the State Government is on the front foot in taking advantage of this opportunity.”

The roundtable featured representatives from ThyssenKrupp, Siemens, Daimler, AG, Woodside, BHP, Yara Pilbara, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), Fichtner, Hazer Group, and the Asian Renewable Energy Hub.

Yara Pilbara Fertilisers, in partnership with ENGIE, recently received funding from the State Government for its green ammonia project in the Pilbara.

The $2 million grant for the YURI Green Ammonia Project on the Burrup Peninsula formed part of the larger Renewable Hydrogen Fund.

According to Yara, the collaboration with ENGIE could potentially build a new export industry for the region and Australia.

It focused on the issue of transporting liquid hydrogen due to its low density by turning it into ammonia, a higher density vehicle for shipping, which could then be turned back into hydrogen at its destination.

Minister MacTiernan said the project provided an opportunity for Western Australia to become a leader in the emerging renewable hydrogen industry.

“With Yara’s Pilbara site alone accounting for 5 per cent of the world’s ammonia production, this project offers a unique opportunity for WA to demonstrate the potential of green hydrogen at an industrial scale,” the Minister said.

“This project will put the Pilbara front-and-centre in the global renewable hydrogen race, creating a clean ammonia product for the world.”

Last year, the first stage of the Asian Renewable Energy Hub, set to produce 15GW of wind and solar power, received environmental approval from the State Government.

According to Minister MacTiernan, the Hub would be a major contributor to global efforts to decarbonise the economy.

“This development will demonstrate Western Australia’s credentials as a world-class investment destination for green energy generation, including the production of exportable commodities, like green hydrogen and ammonia, and green steel manufacturing,” the Minister said.

Head of solar research at Wood Mackenzie Ravi Manghani said green hydrogen would play a big role in the energy transition as long-duration storage and grid flexibility solution. “There are many hurdles before hydrogen can fill that gap; not least, harmonising variable renewable supply,” he said

“If it happens, it will open up new revenue streams for solar asset owners selling excess hydrogen to industrial clients in hard-to-abate sectors.”

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