PERTH (miningweekly.com) – A survey undertaken by the Queensland Resource Council (QRC) has shown that its member companies are actively looking at new technologies, such as hydrogen to reduce emissions and grow business.

“More than two-thirds of the CEOs surveyed said they were thinking about hydrogen-related opportunities, and 10% are already committed to projects involving hydrogen,” QRC CEO Ian Macfarlane says.

“In a clear sign hydrogen will play a role in Queensland’s response to the global challenge of climate change, 33% of CEOs believe hydrogen will provide an opportunity to reduce emissions in their own business, and a further 33% see hydrogen as an opportunity for growth.”

Macfarlane says that the resources sector’s interest in hydrogen supports Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to appoint a dedicated Hydrogen Industry Development Minister, Mick de Brenni following the state election last year.  

Macfarlane says Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures show Queensland mining and gas jobs increased by 15% over the 12 months to February 2021, indicating the number of jobs supported by the resources sector is now well over 420 000.

“Even better, 24% of the CEOs who responded to our survey said they planned to increase employment at their Queensland operations over the next 12 months, with half expecting to increase their workforce by more than 25%,” he says.

“This response from our CEOs is a huge vote of confidence in the resources sector, which benefits every Queenslander through a stronger state economy and more jobs.”

Macfarlane says maintaining a "people first" approach to Covid-19 and following Chief Health Officer protocols has helped keep Queensland communities safe and allowed the resources sector to keep working, earning and employing its way through the pandemic.

“Resources companies are now also looking at how to best support the government’s state-wide vaccine roll-out to ensure people living and working in regional communities are vaccinated as soon as possible,” he says.

Three-quarters of member CEOs who responded to the QRC survey say they will consider providing employees with information about vaccination benefits and risks; two-thirds will arrange for employees to be vaccinated voluntarily during work hours; and almost one in ten say they will consider incentivising employees to be vaccinated voluntarily. 

For the sixth consecutive quarter, the QRC report found the number one area of concern was the volatility of the global economy. 

Sharing equal second place is concern about poor regulation including regulatory uncertainty and problems raising capital, with the link between the environmental, social and governance performance of companies and their ability to capital-raise consistently raised as a major issue.