Southeast Asian officials explore green hydrogen in Australia

A delegation of 12 government officials from Laos, Thailand, the Philippines and ASEAN travelled to Australia in early February to learn about green hydrogen as an emerging clean fuel of the future.

Supported by the Australian Government through Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), the hydrogen study tour was arranged in response to growing interest by Southeast Asian governments and energy utilities to better understand hydrogen’s use and opportunities.

Senior government officials were invited from energy ministries in each country, with representatives also from the ASEAN Centre for Energy. The main focus was sharing the potential benefits of green hydrogen, and increasing regional understanding of low-emissions energy technologies and their potential application.

P4I arranged a 2-week program of activities which saw delegates travel to Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne. Scheduled to coincide with the Australian Hydrogen Research Conference at The Australian National University, officials heard the latest cutting-edge research and connected with hydrogen experts from across Australia and the world.

Delegates also visited hydrogen research, production and storage facilities and met with government, academic and private sector stakeholders who have been instrumental in advancing Australia’s world-leading hydrogen industry. Discussions focused on policy, regulations and standards for clean energy transitions, and Australia’s experience with energy sector planning and the adoption of new technologies.

The trip included visits to Geoscience Australia, the Evoenergy Hydrogen Test Facility and ActewAGL Hydrogen Refuelling Station in Canberra, the Queensland Government’s Hydrogen Centre of Excellence and Queensland University of Technology’s H2Xport Project Renewable Hydrogen Pilot Production Plant in Brisbane, and CSIRO’s Hydrogen Technology Demonstration Facility in Melbourne.

Green hydrogen is emerging as an important part of a clean and secure energy future. It is considered a safe, flexible and clean fuel that can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity and reduce heat – all without carbon emissions. Australia has an abundance of natural resources to make hydrogen for domestic and international use, with the goal to become a major global player in green hydrogen by 2030.