CSIRO pushes for hydrogen-powered transport

Australia’s national science agency CSIRO is advocating for increased focus on hydrogen-powered transport in a new report released with GHD Advisory. The report cautions that if Australia fails to deploy hydrogen-powered vehicles along with electric vehicles, it risks being left behind its international counterparts.

While battery electric vehicles are likely to drive decarbonisation of road transport in Australia, there are opportunities for hydrogen-powered vehicles to play a significant role in long-haul travel and freight transport.

This is because hydrogen-powered vehicles are quicker to refuel, have a greater range between refuelling stops and can maximise their payload because they don’t need to carry large, heavy batteries required by electric vehicles.

The ‘Hydrogen vehicle refuelling infrastructure’ report sets out the opportunities and challenges for deploying refuelling stations for hydrogen-powered road vehicles in Australia.

Shawn Wolfe, Executive Advisor at GHD Advisory and lead author of the report, said Australia currently has only five hydrogen refuelling stations in operation, with 20 planned or under construction.

“The pace of the transition to hydrogen-powered transport is moving a lot faster internationally than in Australia,” Wolfe said.

“Companies like Daimler and Ampol are not hedging their bets — it’s a hydrogen and electric transport future.”

CSIRO’s Chief Scientist, Prof Bronwyn Fox, said Australia needs to urgently decarbonise its transport sector, which currently accounts for 18.6% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, if it is to meet its net zero commitments. Heavy vehicles are a key contributor to these emissions.

“While we know hydrogen will play a critical role, we also know that much of the key infrastructure for storing, moving and distributing hydrogen for use as a transport fuel — including pipelines, storage tanks and refuelling stations — is yet to be built,” Fox said.

“That’s why this report is so important. It identifies priorities for action, including areas that would benefit from targeted research and innovation.”

Dr Patrick Hartley, Leader of CSIRO’s Hydrogen Industry Mission, said research is happening at every point of the hydrogen supply chain, from hydrogen production through to storage, distribution and ultimately utilisation technologies like fuel cells.

“Australia is unique in terms of our size and sparse distribution of population, so finding ways to make hydrogen available across the continent will be a key enabler,” Hartley said.

“This report will help regulators and industry stakeholders understand where they can best focus their activities and progress their plans to develop infrastructure for hydrogen-powered transport.”

The report can be downloaded here.

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