Hydrogen

Hydrogen is a common chemical element. It’s odourless, colourless and lightweight zero-carbon gas. It can be stored, transported and used when needed as fuel for transport or heating, as a way to store energy or as a raw material in industrial processes. The Australian Government has signalled out plans to grow Australia’s hydrogen industry.

‘Green’ hydrogen is produced when the energy generated from renewable sources such as the sun, wind, tides or waves powers an electrolyser to convert water into hydrogen gas.

Green hydrogen production could sustainably power Victoria’s transport, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, while creating jobs in Gippsland and across the state.

‘Blue’ hydrogen can be produced using natural gas as a feedstock. This process generates carbon emissions which then need to be captured using Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. This technology is in development.

‘Brown’ hydrogen Gippsland is home to the world-first Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) Project that aims to safely produce and transport clean liquid hydrogen from Gippsland’s Latrobe Valley to Japan.

A key objective of the pilot project is to demonstrate an end-to-end supply chain between both countries.
The current HESC Pilot Project is creating approximately 400 jobs across the Victorian hydrogen supply chain. CCS is essential if HESC is to transition from ‘Brown to Green’ Hydrogen.

The CarbonNet project plans to store CO2 deep below the Gippsland Basin. The project is currently in Stage Three – Project Development and Commercial Establishment.