Australia and Germany have released national hydrogen strategies to help grow the development of renewable hydrogen as a clean source of energy. UNSW Sydney will lead a consortium of Australian research and industry partners, who will work together with partners in Germany to test the feasibility of a renewable energy-based hydrogen supply chain between the two countries.

The feasibility study—which was awarded from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade over two years—will look for opportunities to collaborate with Australian and German industries on the production, storage, transport and use of hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources. It will also assess current technologies, identify regulatory and logistical barriers, and recommend business models for the development of this two-way trade and investment.

Led by Associate Professor Iain MacGill, the team comprises Scientia Professor Rose Amal AC, Professor Sami Kara, Professor Kondo-Francois Aguey-Zinsou and Dr. Rahman Daiyan, from the ARC Training Center for The Global Hydrogen Economy (GlobH2E), with local and global industry partners including Deloitte, Baringa Partners and MAN Energy.

The great renewable energy potential, infrastructure and energy exporting expertise, together with the manufacturing excellence and energy import needs of Germany, presents these countries with an ideal opportunity to establish a hydrogen value chain partnership that combines their comparative strengths and interests.

However, there are still considerable challenges, with associated uncertainties and risks, to overcome. This study will help us jointly plot a pathway to address these challenges and seize the opportunity for a vibrant renewable hydrogen sector in and across these countries, and beyond.

—Associate Professor MacGill

UNSW is a leader in hydrogen research and home to the ARC Training Center for The Global Hydrogen Economy, as well as the Hydrogen Energy Research Center.