The Queensland government has passed a bill that would accelerate the creation of up to 10,000 new jobs and open a new pipeline of renewable hydrogen projects.
The Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 seeks to ensure that renewable hydrogen and gases can be distributed safely across Queensland and to global trade partners that seek to decarbonise their heavy haulage, shipping, aviation, and industry.
The legislation is intended to create job opportunities in regional Queensland and unlock $33 billion in economic activity by 2040.
“As the next frontier in Queensland’s energy industry, green hydrogen offers the greatest jobs, climate and export opportunity in a generation, and new laws will go a long way to helping our nation reach net zero by 2050,” said Minister for Energy, Renewables, and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni.
“Not only will green hydrogen be a game changer for the transport, heavy haulage, shipping, and aviation industries, which currently account for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s emissions – but it will also unlock a pipeline of new jobs in new industry.”
The bill brings changes to the Gas Supply Act of 2003 and the Petroleum and Gas Act of 2004 and will mandate the existing safety frameworks for pipelines in Queensland to hydrogen and other renewable gases, including the requirement to develop safety management systems and comply with safety requirements.
Queensland is becoming a world leader in renewable hydrogen and is home world’s largest hydrogen electrolyser manufacturing facility, the Green Energy Manufacturing Centre.
More than 50 hydrogen projects are already underway in the state, including the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project in Gladstone, which is being led by Stanwell Corporation and is expected to deliver over $17.2 billion in hydrogen exports over 30 years.
“Ensuring we have the right policies in place to develop a hydrogen industry in Queensland is essential because it means good jobs into the future,” said Minister for Resources Scott Stewart. “The hydrogen industry must be developed in a way that ensures the safety of workers and the community is paramount.
