6 companies awarded $7m to fast-track renewable hydrogen industry in Victoria

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The Victorian Government is providing funding for six projects to fast-track the renewable hydrogen industry in Victoria.

The funding was awarded through the Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund.

Viva Energy, Volgren Australia, Air Liquide, Energys Australia, Boundary Power and Telstra will share the $6.6 million to find ways how to clean up heavy transport, buses and industry.

“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,” said Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio in a media release.

Volgren Australia will develop two commercial-grade hydrogen fuel cell electric buses for trials in Dandenong.

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.

Boundary Power will develop an Australian-first ?solar-renewable hydrogen standalone power system which 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 will deploy a renewable hydrogen fuel cell generator at regional mobile communication sites, to strengthen the grid and remove the reliance on fossil fuels generators.

“These exciting projects will help businesses push the frontiers of renewable hydrogen and embrace this clean energy solution. 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,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.

An additional $800,000 will be shared by eight recipients through the Renewable Hydrogen Business Ready Fund to create business cases or feasibility studies to help them make the switch to renewable hydrogen.

For more info go to https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-hydrogen/renewable-hydrogen

Image credit: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-hydrogen/renewable-hydrogen