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Vehicle technology showcase headlines Hydrogen Council meeting

The display of four hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have headlined a recent meeting for the Parliamentary Friends of Hydrogen

The Australian Hydrogen Council, industry, government and diplomatic representatives gathered in Canberra last week for the second Australian Parliamentary Friends of Hydrogen meeting.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen was in attendance and reinforced the federal government’s commitment to policies including Future Made in Australia, Hydrogen Headstart and Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, following the release of the 2024/25 federal budget which committed significant support for the hydrogen industry.

A technology showcase as part of proceedings was headlined by four hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – Hyundai NEXO, Toyota Mirai, BMW iX5 and Hyzon refuse truck – and included technologies from companies including Toyota, Energeys, ENEOS, Innomotics, Star Scientific and CarbonNet.

General Manager of Supply Chain and Industry Development for the Australian Hydrogen Council Leigh Kennedy says the technology showcase offered an enlightening glimpse into the future of the hydrogen transport industry.

“The recent budget announced $1.7 billion in funding for ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) to establish a manufacturing innovation fund. The funding will work alongside the $3 billion earmarked under the National Reconstruction Fund for clean technologies.

“In effect, creating a pipeline of funding for the pipeline of technologies as the commercialise.

“AHC looks forward to growing Australia’s hydrogen equipment, technologies and services sector by supporting development of new technologies and enabling SMEs to transition from existing industries into hydrogen.”

ARENA recently awarded courier company ANC a $12.8 million investment into its battery electric vehicle (BEV) program as part of its Driving the Nation fund.

Hydrogen Council CEO Dr Fiona Simon says the speed at which Australia is prioritising development of its hydrogen sector is pleasing.

“The strong industry turnout at our Parliamentary Friends of Hydrogen meeting was a positive signal to the government and friends of Parliament the hydrogen industry is serious about achieving policy certainty with projects underway that rely on government support,” Simon says.

“Incentives such as Hydrogen Production Tax Credit and Hydrogen Headstart are absolutely vital. The public interest is in decarbonisation, and without very strong economy-wide price signals to value carbon – and even with them – we need to look at incentives from government to help bridge the gap and get major projects over the line for the 2030s and 2040s.”

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