The Australian Government has kicked off the consultation for the development of its $2 billion Hydrogen Headstart program, which will deliver a step change in Australia’s renewable hydrogen production.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) are seeking public feedback for the design of the flagship hydrogen program, which will underwrite some of the largest electrolyser deployments in the world.
The Hydrogen Headstart program seeks to address the commercial gap for early projects and position Australia towards achieving up to a gigawatt of electrolyser capacity by 2030.
The consultation paper outlines indicative specifications for the program and covers proposed objectives, eligibility criteria, and funding mechanism, as well as other features of the program.
The proposed program aims to invest in projects with a hydrogen production credit delivered over 10 years, bridging the gap between the cost of hydrogen produced and the sales price of hydrogen or its derivative products.
As part of the consultation process, ARENA and DCCEW will accept written feedback, host an information webinar, and run in-person forms across Sydney and Perth.
“ARENA was pleased to see the Australian Government recognise our expertise in renewable hydrogen by calling on us to co-develop the Hydrogen Headstart program,” said ARENA CEO Darren Miller.
“The consultation paper we’ve launched today will kick off discussions about how Hydrogen Headstart can best deliver for the Australian public,” Miller added.
ARENA has been at the forefront of renewable hydrogen industry development in Australia and has invested more than $255 million in 44 hydrogen projects spanning research and development, feasibility and engineering studies, electrolyser deployments, vehicle refuelling and more.
ARENA and DCCEW will work on the final program design after the consultation period, which will close on 3 August.
The Hydrogen Headstart consultation paper and information on the consultation process can be accessed at consult.dcceew.gov.au.
