2021-04-29
The ACT Government has joined as a Founding Partner in the Smart Energy Council’s Zero Carbon Certification Scheme, a national, industry-led certification scheme for renewable hydrogen, ammonia, and metal manufacture.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury said that the certification scheme is an important step towards establishing the zero emissions industries of the future.
“Hydrogen is created by using a lot of electricity, and that electricity can come from polluting sources, like coal, or clean sources, like wind or solar generation,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, the Federal Government and other jurisdictions want to create hydrogen using fossil fuels like coal or gas. Not only would this increase Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, but it would also miss the opportunity for a world-leading green hydrogen industry, powered by our rapidly growing renewable energy sector.
“The ACT Government believes that any investment in the hydrogen industry should be in green hydrogen, only using electricity from renewable sources.
“The Smart Energy Council’s scheme is important because it will enable hydrogen and related products to be certified as zero emissions and ensure that hydrogen is solely created from green sources. It is critical that we can track how these products are manufactured to assure customers that the end product is genuinely zero emissions.
“ActewAGL’s hydrogen refuelling station in Fyshwick will be the first project certified under the scheme. The refuelling station uses 100% renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and is a great example of the types of projects that can benefit from certification.
“The ACT is a leader in renewable energy and climate action and participating in this scheme will continue this leadership.”
Smart Energy Council Chief Executive John Grimes said he was delighted to have ACT Government as a Founding Partner.
“The Smart Energy Council is so excited to have such a strong list of initial Australian and international Founding Partners. These are world leaders in renewable hydrogen,” Mr Grimes said.
“The list of Founding Partners shows there is extraordinary global interest in the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme.”
You can find out more about the ACT Government’s commitment to zero emissions industries and climate change action s on the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development website.