PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Freight operator Aurizon has been awarded A$5-million in funding from the Queensland government under the second round of the A$35-million Hydrogen Industry Development Fund (HIDF).

Aurizon is proposing to put four hydrogen-fuelled prime movers on the road in Townsville and create more opportunities for other businesses to convert their transport fleets to new technology fuel.

Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said Aurizon was prioritising renewable energy projects that will use locally produced hydrogen.

“Aurizon plans to use four hydrogen-powered prime movers to haul goods in and around its freight operations at Stuart Terminal and the Port of Townsville.

“It’s projects like this that have allowed us to deliver the transforming Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan because we’re a government that invests and we have a private sector that has confidence in Queensland.”

Aurizon MD and CEO Andrew Harding said renewable hydrogen offers enormous opportunities to Australia’s transport industry.

“Renewable hydrogen is one of the emerging energy options that will assist industry to decarbonise operations throughout the supply chain while remaining cost competitive,” Mr Harding said.

“Aurizon is Australia’s largest rail freight company and renewable hydrogen will play an important role in enabling us to reach our target of net zero operational emissions by 2050. Queensland government funding will assist us to look at replacing diesel-powered trucks with new technology hydrogen fuel cell electric heavy vehicles.”

Minister for Energy, Hydrogen and Renewables Mick de Brenni said the clean energy transformation in Townsville had already generated around A$800-million investment in more than 400 MW of large-scale renewable energy, creating more than 900 jobs.

“The plan will create 64 000 jobs in clean energy infrastructure including new skilled jobs in construction of transmission and renewable energy projects.

“Connecting Mount Isa to the transmission network represents a unique opportunity to support a clean energy industrial ecosystem from the North West Minerals Province to Townsville, growing opportunities for jobs in the clean energy economy.”

De Brenni said round two was the HIDF’s biggest investment so far in Queensland’s growing hydrogen supply chain.

“Aurizon’s project is another important step on Townsville’s journey to becoming a global green hydrogen superpower,” he added.