East Australia plans hydrogen freight network

Australia's New South Wales (NSW), Queensland and Victoria governments have agreed to build a hydrogen refuelling network along the busiest road freight routes between the connecting three states.

NSW, Queensland and Victoria, which have the majority of the population and economic activity in east Australia, will collaborate on the development of the renewable hydrogen highway by 2026, focusing on the Hume, the Pacific and the Newell highways, said Victoria's minister for energy Lily D'Ambrosio.

Transport accounted for around 17pc of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions in the 12 months to 30 September 2021.

The Victorian state government will invest A$10mn ($7.5mn) to build at least four renewable hydrogen refuelling stations between Sydney and Melbourne, in a step towards meeting Victoria's target to halve emissions by 2030. The funding will be matched by the NSW government, D'Ambrosio said.

The combined A$20mn funding will build the network and provide grants for Australia's first long-haul hydrogen fuel cell electric freight trucks.

"Renewable hydrogen will increasingly become a competitive zero emissions fuel option for our heavy transport sector,' said NSW treasurer and energy minister Matt Kean.

Road freight vehicles largely consume diesel, which is the largest consuming transport fuel in Australia and accounted for 56pc of total oil product sales in January.

By Kevin Morrison