Hydrogen investment and funding
Queensland's abundant renewable energy resources, as well as our technical and research capabilities, positions us well to scale up a renewable hydrogen economy using existing infrastructure at key ports.
For more information on investing in Queensland visit Trade and Investment Queensland to download the Queensland Hydrogen Prospectus.
Queensland Government investment
The Queensland Government has made strategic investments to support the development of the hydrogen sector including:
- $15 million to plan for hydrogen hubs in key locations
- $5 million to introduce Queenslanders to the opportunities of our renewable hydrogen future
- $15 million to support development of the Stanwell-led Consortium CQ-H2 hydrogen export facility in Gladstone
- $50 million in state-of-the-art infrastructure to support training in renewables and hydrogen
- $600,000 in financial support over 4 years for the Future Energy Exports Cooperative Research Centre
- $250,000 towards the QUT-led H2XPort renewable pilot plant hosted at the Queensland Government’s Redlands Research Facility
- $100,000 to support the National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) national hydrogen technology clusters program.
We also committed to a trial of 5 hydrogen powered Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) in the Queensland Government fleet.
Investment partnerships
International companies are investing in Queensland hydrogen projects in partnership with our publicly owned ports and energy generators
- Japanese energy company Iwatani Corporation has partnered with Stanwell Corporation to develop a large-scale renewable hydrogen facility in Aldoga, west of Gladstone. Japanese companies Kansai Electric Power Company and Marubeni, as well as Singapore-based Keppel Corporation have also joined the joined the consortium.
- CS Energy is in the process of delivering the Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Project which will produce 75,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen each year, and site mobilisation works have begun.
- Japan’s largest oil company ENEOS Corporation committed to a detailed study on the establishment of a commercial scale hydrogen supply chain between Japan and Queensland. In January 2023, ENEOS Corporation’s direct methylcyclohexane – or MCH – facility on Bulwer Island was opened. The facility produces up to 20 kilograms of green hydrogen daily, powered from renewable energy generated by a dedicated onsite 250kW solar system
- Japanese multinational Sumitomo Corporation has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gladstone Ports Corporation, Gladstone Regional Council, CQUniversity Australia, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group and CleanCo to develop a renewable hydrogen ecosystem in Gladstone.
- Sumitomo Corporation also signed a letter of intent with Rio Tinto to study the construction of Sumitomo’s hydrogen pilot plant at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone and explore the use of hydrogen at the site.
- Japanese trading company ITOCHU Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure and Brookfield to develop plans to build a renewable hydrogen production, storage and export facility within the Hay Point port precinct.
- Ark Energy (subsidiary of Korea Zinc) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port of Townsville to investigate the development of a renewable hydrogen facility focused on the transport industry at Sun Metals’ zinc refinery. Hydrogen export facilities at the Port of Townsville will also be considered. Phase 1 of the project will involve a 1 MW Polymer Electrolyte Membrane electrolyser and a hydrogen refueller, which is expected to be installed in late 2023.
The Queensland Government is supporting a range of other significant hydrogen projects in Queensland and has invested more than $110 million as part of its Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy. There are already over 50 green hydrogen and ammonia projects progressing in Queensland, which shows that the state is fast becoming a world-leader in renewable hydrogen.
Project case study: CQ-H2
Government owned Stanwell Corporation are leading the development of Australia’s largest green hydrogen project, right here in Queensland.
In May 2023, Stanwell announced Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) for CQ-H2. The study, backed by $117 million from government and project consortium partners, will bring the project one step closer to its Final Investment Decision (FID), planned for late 2024.
CQ-H2 is Queensland’s largest green hydrogen project and ranks in the global top 10 hydrogen projects at the pre-FID stage. The new hydrogen export facility in Gladstone is proposed produce around 3,000MW of hydrogen by the early 2030s, with the intention to export renewable hydrogen to Japan and Singapore, and supply large industrial customers in the Central Queensland region to support emissions reduction for domestic industry by 2027.
In a collaboration success story, Stanwell has partnered with Japanese companies Iwatani Corporation, Kansai Electric Power Company, Marubeni Corporation, and Singapore-led Keppel Infrastructure, to undertake the FEED study to determine the commercial viability of CQ-H2.
At this stage, it is estimated CQ-H2 could provide more than 8,900 new jobs and deliver over $17 billion in hydrogen exports and $12.4 billion to Queensland’s Gross State Product over its 30-year life.
For detailed information about hydrogen projects in Queensland, see our Projects page.
Hydrogen Funding
Queensland Hydrogen Industry Development Fund
Since the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund (HIDF) was first announced in 2019, a total of $35 million has been committed by the Queensland Government for hydrogen industry development activities.
Learn more about the HIDF projects announced to date.
Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund
To support hydrogen industry development, the $4.5 billion Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund positions Queensland’s Government Owned Corporations at the forefront of renewable energy and hydrogen production
The Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund allows energy Government owned corporations to increase ownership of commercial renewable energy and hydrogen projects, as well as supporting infrastructure, including in partnership with the private sector.
Learn more about the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund projects announced to date.
- Last updated:
- 11 December 2023