Bipartisan federal support for a $140 million funding commitment towards two new hydrogen hubs in Western Australia has been welcomed by the state government.
“It is great to have federal Liberal and Labor support for our green hydrogen projects in Western Australia,” Hydrogen Industry minister Alannah MacTiernan said.
“This $140 million commitment will supercharge our renewable hydrogen industry, helping to stimulate local demand for hydrogen to get production projects get off the ground.”
The commitments from both sides of federal government follow the WA government’s work in supporting the state’s growing hydrogen industry, investing over $100 million in state funding to develop hydrogen hubs.
“Both the Pilbara and Kwinana projects present terrific opportunities for WA, and we are glad both sides of Federal politics have thrown their support behind them,” MacTiernan said.
“It is disappointing that the federal government has overlooked the Oakajee project, but we will continue to make the case to the Commonwealth. Renewable hydrogen presents a big opportunity for industries right across WA to reduce their emissions and embrace a cleaner future, and our funding commitment to demand stimulation will help companies take that leap.”
The WA government has already budgeted $70 million to support the $140 million Pilbara Hydrogen Hub, with a range of local and international private partners. This is following another $300,000 in support for a feasibility study centred on BP Australia’s $252.5 million H2Kwinana Clean Hydrogen Industrial Hub.
It is estimated that the two new hubs in Kwinana and the Pilbara will create more than 3,600 jobs and attract more than $410 million of new private and public investment to Western Australia.