Australia’s Victorian Govt Grants $7 M for H2 Use in Heavy Transport

The Victoria State Government, Australia, is providing $6.6 million via its Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund to six renewable hydrogen projects aiming to clean up heavy transport, buses and industry.

The recipients were announced by Victorian minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio.

“Renewable hydrogen is a key part of our clean energy transition, ensuring we can meet our target of halving emissions by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050,” she said. “These exciting projects will help businesses push the frontiers of renewable hydrogen and embrace this clean energy solution.”

Volgren Australia will develop two commercial-grade hydrogen fuel cell electric buses for trials in Dandenong, while Viva Energy will develop a hydrogen refuelling station to co-locate with EV charging in a public New Energies service station.

Air Liquide and Energys Australia will develop renewable hydrogen production facilities for transport while Boundary Power will develop an Australian-first, solar-renewable, hydrogen standalone power system. The Boundary Power system will convert solar power into hydrogen and use that hydrogen to generate electricity during power outages or in remote areas that are not served by the grid.

Telstra has also received funding to deploy a renewable hydrogen fuel cell generator at regional mobile communication sites, to strengthen the grid and remove the reliance on fossil fuels generators.

In addition to these projects, a further eight recipients will share in $600,000 through the Renewable Hydrogen Business Ready Fund to develop business cases or feasibility studies to support their transition to renewable hydrogen.

The grants are being delivered as part of the Victorian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Plan, launched in February 2021 to foster a thriving renewable hydrogen economy in Victoria.

Victoria’s renewable hydrogen sector will create long-term jobs through skills development and new career pathways, drive innovation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our industrial, energy and transport sectors.

“Victoria’s support for renewable hydrogen sector will create new jobs, while we drive down emissions across our economy by funding the infrastructure and innovation required to accelerate this change,” D’Ambrosio said.