Australia’s hydrogen future

Previously, Wood colleagues have been sharing insights on the potential of hydrogen and its contribution to the global energy transition. Alan Mortimer discussed its clean energy credentials, Omar Bedani shaped the challenges of scaling up hydrogen production亚当·弗鲁(Adam Frew)提出了一个观点，说明它如何能够恭维一个更有影响力的人 sustainable mix of fuels in the transportation sector. Then David Cunningham presented a view on the economics of hydrogen.

I want to focus on a specific opportunity region. 重点介绍了澳大利亚的氢供应链，并讨论了使其成为亚太地区氢增长未来核心的一些关键因素.

Australia’s potential

“澳大利亚有潜力成为未来后碳世界的经济超级大国。”. If you’ve read Superpower by Ross Garnaut, 你会发现澳大利亚最有影响力的经济学家之一的远见和乐观. So where does hydrogen fit in all of this? 预计澳大利亚可以成为氢气生产国和出口国的重要市场参与者. 因此，该国是发展国际氢供应链的几个试点项目的所在地.

As one of the top markets in the world for renewable energy, 澳大利亚提供了以最低成本通过电解生产氢的最佳潜力, 因为它可以以较低的电力成本获得可再生能源. This process is referred to as green hydrogen production. (COAG 能源 Council, Nov 2019).

Along with renewable energy resources, Australia also has huge land area, natural gas, and water to support the hydrogen project pipeline, 以及之前开发必要基础设施的经验，这些基础设施可以用来开发氢工艺和出口基础设施. This is particularly relevant for blue hydrogen 因为天然气出口行业在澳大利亚已经很成熟. (National Hydrogen Strategy, Nov 2019)

蓝氢是通过(碳排放)蒸汽甲烷重整生产氢，与碳捕获和储存解决方案(CCS)一起开发。, 澳大利亚的地质储存潜力在这里提供了一个机会. 雪佛龙在Gorgon液化天然气上的CCS是一个运营项目的一个很好的例子，库珀盆地的容量为2000万吨/年₂ presents an attractive opportunity for Santos. Additionally, the state and federal governments are investing in CarbonNet; a project that is advancing the science and viability of CCS at commercial scale in the Bass Strait; a world class CCS location off the South East Coast of Australia.

下图总结了澳大利亚的氢供应链能力, 从可持续生产选择到储存和运输选择.

The simple complications

围绕氢的讨论主要集中在作为燃料的生产和应用上. However, the infrastructure presents a similar challenge. Challenges around the storage, 需要解决氢气的分配和运输问题，以预见氢气规模扩大到深度脱碳所需的水平, as infrastructure ties together production and application.

技术框架——创建一个出口项目所需的不同输入——不仅仅是一个电解槽(你可以买现成的)。, other components include power transmission, water supply for electrolysis and the export vector, which includes options such as MCH, 从氢气原料气中生产氨和液氢. 这部分是亚太地区的关键，代表了供应链成本和技术挑战的很大一部分.

Market development

In March, 澳大利亚政府确认了其优先扩展目标, as part of their Technology Investment Roadmap, is to produce hydrogen at under AUD$2 (US$1.39) a kilogram. (政府. Technology Investment Roadmap, 21 May 2020).

Since COVID-19, 联邦政府通过若干基金和国家氢战略加强了对氢的承诺，以支持清洁和有竞争力的澳大利亚氢产业. 政府支持包括由ARENA和清洁能源金融公司分配的3亿澳元，用于支持氢项目.

On a state government level, 昆士兰州政府启动了一项1500万澳元的基金，作为其可持续氢战略的一部分，西澳大利亚州启动了一项1000万澳元的绿色氢基金, 该项目最近获得了价值500万澳元的额外拨款.

如果要建立生产设施，结合使用电解槽, solar and wind generation in a resource favourable region, 从澳大利亚进口氢气的成本将低于日本或新加坡的国内生产成本. (IEA WEO, Nov 2019).

澳大利亚在最大限度地利用氢机遇方面处于独特的地位

氢市场成本的相对增长，以及它们与澳大利亚当前合同液化天然气价格的潜在竞争力，将是氢行业长期生存能力的核心因素，也是我们需要考虑的一个领域，以确保澳大利亚能够成为亚太地区关键的氢市场.

Hydrogen’s value chain has no shortage of complexities, 随着向绿色氢的转变，价值链变得更加复杂, but its development could enhance Australia's energy security, create jobs and build a billion-dollar export industry. Local and regional hydrogen markets are already developing, 但如果氢经济要在澳大利亚和亚太地区蓬勃发展, 需要对创新的新解决方案和基础设施进行大量投资.