Hydrogen Market
FOOT ON
THE GAS
COUNTRIES ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO DECARBONISE THEIR ECONOMIES, BUT A NEW RESEARCH CENTRE COULD HELP AUSTRALIA PRODUCE AND USE HYDROGEN AS A VERSATILE LOW-CARBON OPTION.
SA/VIC GAS PIPELINE NETWORK n February this year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced $1.28 million in funding to Australian Gas Networks Limited (AGN) to establish the Australian Hydrogen Centre. The centre is being established to investigate blending hydrogen into natural gas pipelines in South Australia and Victoria. The project will undertake feasibility studies on the integration of hydrogen into existing gas networks with the aim of developing clear cost-benefit analysis for potential investment. ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the natural gas network could be a key piece of infrastructure
I
to support decarbonisation of Australia’s energy system. “The network has the potential to be used for the long-term storage of renewably produced hydrogen and limit the need for electrification alternatives, which can be costly,” he said. “The development of a local hydrogen sector will underpin the investment in technology and skills to support the long-term export opportunity. These studies will go a long way to identifying the possibility of using and storing hydrogen in local gas networks.” The feasibility studies are expected to be completed in January 2022.
AUSTRALIA GAS PIPELINES, LNG PLANTS, SHALE GAS BASINS Darwin LNG Beetaloo Basin
Canning Basin Pluto LNG
Coral Sea
NWS LNG
Wheatstone Gorgon LNG
Liquefaction Plants
Scarborough Pilbara LNG
Appproved Existing
Amadaus Basin
Proposed Gas Pipeline City
Gulf of
Birdum Carpentaria
Cooper Basin
Gladstone Port
Maryborough Basin GunnedahlSydney Basin
Perth Basin Indian Ocean
Prospective area Prospective basin
0
Miles
600
0
Km
965
Source: EIA World Shale Gas Resources, 2011, with author updates
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www.awa.asn.au
Gippsland Basin
Other basin