ZERO CARBON CERTIFICATION
ZERO CARBON CERTIFICATION SCHEME FOR HEAVY INDUSTRY Australia is one step closer to gaining a firm foothold in the lucrative green hydrogen market with a scheme that provides an authentic stamp of approval for zero carbon products.
AUSTRALIA’S POTENTIAL as a leading producer and
Global Alliance Powerfuels, the international partner
exporter of renewable hydrogen to burgeoning
network furthering the development of carbon neutral
markets such as Germany, Japan and South Korea
powerfuels is a key global collaborator in the Zero
is indisputable. Australian industry would welcome
Carbon Scheme that also complements the work of
protocols that help unlock renewable hydrogen supply
SEC with partners ANU and Evoenergy on the ACT
chain investment opportunities and international trade.
renewable hydrogen cluster. (See following pages.)
To help set the train in motion, the Australian Smart Energy Council (SEC) has joined forces with the German Energy Agency (dena) to develop the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme with a Guarantee of Origin; a mechanism to assess embedded carbon ratings. Max Hewitt of SEC Division, Hydrogen Australia,
“Our aim is to be as consistent and collaborative as possible by developing more strong local and international ties, especially with those regions that will have a surge in demand for hydrogen,” said Max. “And we want to move quickly. The Zero Carbon Certification pilot scheme is scheduled for launch
Zero Carbon Certification: the five-step strategy
which is delivering the scheme, explained a tracking
1. Specification of the all-renewable production of hydrogen (followed by metals, ammonia other derivatives)
evaluate the participating site and assess it according
green hydrogen or ammonia, rather than fossil fuel
Overseas there is growing momentum for
2. Uniqueness of certificates to prevent double batching
generated commodities,” he said.
stringent carbon emission controls, notably the
3. Transparency to gauge production levels, backed by full documentation available to the developer, and the creation of a renewable hydrogen project registry 4. Exclusive certificates for account holder (eg project owner), and 5. Demonstrated proof of net-zero emissions production.
A Zero Carbon Certification scheme will help Australia realise its ambitions as a global industrial powerhouse
system will assess product quality and the greenhouse gas emissions, if any, associated with production in participating hydrogen, ammonia and metals projects. “An auditor or technically proficient person will to our particular criteria for what constitutes green hydrogen, that is hydrogen with no embedded carbon. “This enables consumers to identify and purchase
Finer details such as scope three emissions generated
around Easter. Timing is important to industry; people are becoming frustrated by lack of any signs of substantial progress or developments on the government’s hydrogen certification scheme which is supposed to be key to the national hydrogen strategy.” Other strong forces are at play.
External pressures
EU’s introduction of carbon (tax) emissions border
via product transport are yet to be determined, he
adjustments. Canada and the US are following
said of the Zero Carbon Certification initiative led and
suit and others will follow in the bid to ramp up
funded by industry and a philanthropic funding body
decarbonisation of industrial manufacturing processes.
committed to tackling climate change.
Responding to industry and climate Max revealed that industry has been crying out for a zero-carbon certification scheme and that Hydrogen Australia has drawn up a list of key renewables
“If you are concerned about climate change you cannot be technology neutral,” SEC Government Relations Manager Wayne Smith said. “Countries exporting products with embedded carbon will suffer economically. “Australia cannot achieve net zero emissions without decarbonising heavy industry. More broadly the future
projects, in particular export focused ones, eager to
of energy is 100 per cent renewables but increasingly
become certified and ready for international markets.
people are looking to 500 per cent and that means
Among these are CWP which is developing the 26GW
building a really strong and with it prosperous export
Asian Renewables Energy Hub in the Pilbara, and H2U,
industry for aluminium, steel, ammonia and more, and
the Hydrogen Utility which acknowledges customers
again certification is fundamental to that.
want to know how much carbon is embedded in the
“The Zero Carbon Certification scheme will make that
products they are buying, and how and where they are
happen. It will be critical in building a net zero carbon
produced.
future.”
