An expert, independent of government and industry, explains how prolonged industrial activity on the Burrup Peninsula in WA endangers an Australian marvel.
Green hydrogen produced with renewable energy is seen as a significant future fuel for industry and long-distance transport. Most hydrogen is currently made from methane and emits significant carbon emissions. When a portion of those emissions are captured and stored it is termed blue hydrogen.
Hydrogen was once sold as a universal climate fix — a clean, green wonder fuel for cars, homes, power grids and even global export - but reality has cooled that buzz.
BP has stood down contractors working on its biofuel plant just weeks before discovering if its adjacent green hydrogen project will win $1 billion of government backing.
WA hydrogen minister Alannah MacTiernan believes a viable green hydrogen industry will build community support for the State's economy relying less on gas.
WA's iron ore miners must develop wind power and drop decades of rivalry to share transmission networks to meet their emissions reduction targets, according to Alinta Energy.
In every type of steelmaking, the challenge of using hydrogen to cut emissions is different but the long term possibilities for Australia are enormous.
