PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has established a seven-member specialist hydrogen team to unleash hydrogen potential in the state.

In an address to Parliament, Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni announced that Professor Peta Ashworth would lead an expert taskforce to fast-track the establishment of a sustainable hydrogen supply chain.

“Queensland will lead Australia’s effort to be a world leader in renewable hydrogen and our Hydrogen Taskforce will ensure that we seize this opportunity,” De Brenni said.

“The Hydrogen Taskforce brings together industry, academic and public sector leaders with expertise in science, energy, international investment attraction and economic development, infrastructure planning, regulations, skills development and logistics, and Queensland is lucky to have Ashworth at the helm.

“Ashworth is currently the University of Queensland’s chair in Sustainable Energy Futures, a globally renowned leader in climate and energy technologies and sustainable energy, and already has runs on the board when it comes to hydrogen – including playing a role in the development of Australia’s National Hydrogen Strategy.

“Ashworth also has a strong ethos in the social and environmental impacts in the adoption of energy technology and what this means for the communities that use it.

“The Hydrogen Taskforce’s primary job will be to work with industry across the supply chain to help accelerate the growth of the hydrogen sector in Queensland,” said De Brenni.

Ashworth said the taskforce would hit the ground running and one of its first tasks would be to assess the current state of play of Queensland’s hydrogen supply chain.

“Based on this, we will then prepare a plan that provides a clear line of sight to a sustainable hydrogen supply chain, including export, to be up and running by 2030 or earlier if possible,” Ashworth said.

“We will also identify short- and medium-term actions within the regulatory and planning landscape to facilitate the safe and sustainable development of Queensland’s next major energy commodity."

De Brenni said the taskforce’s establishment dovetails the Queensland government’s A$60-million investment across multiple programmes and initiatives that are growing the hydrogen industry and future hydrogen jobs in Queensland.

“This includes A$32.6-million invested to support training and skills development and A$25-million for the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund.

“The Taskforce will leverage our traditional strengths in the resources sector, coupled with developing plans to utilise our existing public infrastructure such as pipeline corridors, power generators and ports so we can take renewable hydrogen to the world.”