What is your name? - Name
What is your organisation? - Organisation
Which of the following best describes the current or intended operations of your business? - Which of the following best describes the current or intended operations of your business?
Where are your company’s headquarters located? - company location
Which sector best describes your organisation’s operations in Australia? - Other (please specify)
Start up company / R&D
Is your organisation currently a liable entity under the National Greenhouse Energy & Reporting Scheme - Is your organisation currently a liable entity under the National Greenhouse Energy & Reporting Scheme
How much hydrogen do you estimate you will produce in 2021? - How much hydrogen do you estimate you will produce in 2021?
Beyond 2021 what do you anticipate will be your maximum annual production of hydrogen, and when will you reach that milestone? - maximum annual production of hydrogen
Beyond 2021 what do you anticipate will be your maximum annual production of hydrogen, and when will you reach that milestone? - Year you will reach that milestone
How much hydrogen do you estimate you will consume in 2021? - How much hydrogen do you estimate you will consume in 2021?
What do you anticipate will be your maximum annual consumption of hydrogen, and when will you reach that milestone? - maximum annual production of hydrogen
What do you anticipate will be your maximum annual consumption of hydrogen, and when will you reach that milestone? - Year you will reach that milstone
Which do you consider more important for your Australian operations? - Which do you consider more important for your Australian operations?
For the scheme you nominated above, what is the ideal date to have it in place by? - For the scheme you nominated above, what is the ideal date to have it in place by?
For the scheme you nominated above, what is the ideal date to have it in place by? - Why?
An early (2022) implementation date will drive innovation and fast-track the transition from a brown/low-carbon hydrogen to true green hydrogen economy.
Existing global certification schemes for certification of green and low-carbon hydrogen can be used as model platforms for the development of our own domestic and international scheme. While urgent and needed now, a short period (12-18 months) is essential to ensure new emerging technologies are included and defined in an Australian adopted certification scheme. These new technologies include biological produced hydrogen from engineered microbes. It is essential that all hydrogen producing stakeholders have the opportunity to review the proposed scheme.
If the ideal date was not achievable, what would be the latest date a certification scheme could be in place by without adversely affecting your Australian operations? - Select year, starting from 2021
If the ideal date was not achievable, what would be the latest date a certification scheme could be in place by without adversely affecting your Australian operations? - Why?
If a certification scheme is not established within the next two years then Australia risks losing its competitive advantage in the green/low-carbon global hydrogen market as other (brown, blue) hydrogen sources then become the established and dominant produces in our own domestic market. Without a green hydrogen guarantee of origin scheme, domestic R&D investment in green-hydrogen technologies will decrease or may cease. Innovation in green-hydrogen technologies would move off-shore and important global commercialisation opportunities will be lost.
If both domestic and international schemes are important (Q7), should there be separate schemes or a single scheme? If there are separate schemes, what elements would be the most important to align and what linkages need to occur? - If both domestic and international schemes are important (Q7), should there be separate schemes or a single scheme? If there are separate schemes, what elements would be the most important to align and what linkages need to occur?
We believe one scheme is required and this must align with existing global schemes such as the CertifHy scheme.
A certification scheme would measure and track the carbon emissions associated with hydrogen production. Are there any existing carbon accounting methodologies that a certification scheme should align with or adopt (e.g. the Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System?). - A certification scheme would measure and track the carbon emissions associated with hydrogen production. Are there any existing carbon accounting methodologies that a certification scheme should align with or adopt (e.g. the Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System?).
We do not have expertise in this area to comment further but hope existing certification schemes for reporting carbon emissions would be aligned.
What are the three most important features a certification scheme should have? - 1
Distinguish between green (zero emission) and low-carbon hydrogen (low emissions). Low-carbon hydrogen should have further levels according to emission intensity limits for CO2 per kilo of hydrogen produced. We suggest at least three divisions with the upper limit aligned to, or lower than, the CertifHy limits of <4.4kg CO2 per kilo of hydrogen produced.
What are the three most important features a certification scheme should have? - 2
If CCS/CCU technologies are considered in the production of low-carbon hydrogen then CCS/CCU technologies must be demonstrated and achievable. CCS must be permanent and related costs must be included in the costs of hydrogen production.
What are the three most important features a certification scheme should have? - 3
The source/feedstock from where hydrogen was produced e.g. Fossil fuels (non-renewable), water, biomass (renewables), waste etc must be considered when certifying green and low-carbon hydrogen. That is, CO2 produced from renewables must be distinguished from CO2 produced from non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels (see our response to Q9 below).
What are the three most important things a scheme should avoid? - 1
The scheme should not be oversimplified with reporting of carbon emissions, particularly for certification of low-carbon hydrogen. It is important that consideration is made as to both (i) the origin of carbon used (renewable vs non-renewable) for hydrogen production; and (ii) emissions produced during hydrogen production. For example, carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from fossil fuels is considered a net increase and problematic. This differs greatly to carbon dioxide from renewables such as biomass which is formed during hydrogen production (see our response to Q9 below). This consideration as to both the source used to produce the hydrogen and the nature of the emissions is most relevant for emerging technologies using biomass (such as carbohydrate feedstocks) where the carbon is captured in renewable plant material.
What are the three most important things a scheme should avoid? - 2
CCS/CCU technologies must be proven. Solutions for carbon capture must also be permanent and costed in the production of hydrogen gas. Hydrogen produced from fossil fuel sources with CCS/CCU is neither green nor renewable.
What are the three most important things a scheme should avoid? - 3
Emissions from transport of hydrogen (and to a lesser extent storage) should also be considered when reporting emissions across the value chain.
Is there anything else you would like to bring to our attention? - Is there anything else you would like to bring to our attention?
Biologically-produced hydrogen from biomass (eg carbohydrates) is naturally accompanied by production of CO2. Biomass is a renewable energy feedstock source. The production of CO2 that accompanies production of bio-hydrogen from biomass (eg. sugar) is in natural balance with the capacity of plants to re-uptake this carbon to produce new biomass. Carbon dioxide from biological-produced hydrogen can also be cleanly and easily captured and used for commercial purposes due to its ‘food grade’ nature. Thus, the overall process is carbon neutral. Or, if combined with CCS, then the biological-hydrogen production process is negative net emission.
We can advise on biological hydrogen production.
Commercially sensitive information - If you wish your answers to be treated as commercial-in-confidence, please tick this box
Participating in the technical advisory group - If you would like to be considered for membership of the technical advisory group, please tick this box.
Which state government do you represent? - Location
Are there other applications not listed above that you consider to be important? - Please list them.
Not Answered
If a certification scheme was introduced, governments would need to consider how it interacts with existing domestic legislation and voluntary frameworks. For example, certifying renewable energy content for hydrogen production would require considering interactions with the Large Scale Renewable Energy Target. Other examples might include emissions reporting, energy market legislation, or building environmental certification schemes. - Which legislation or voluntary frameworks in your state might interact with a certification scheme?
Not Answered
Which do you consider more important for your state? - Which do you consider more important for your state?
For the scheme you nominated above, what is the ideal date to have it in place by? - Select year, starting from 2021
For the scheme you nominated above, what is the ideal date to have it in place by? - Why?
Not Answered
If the ideal date was not achievable, what would be the latest date a certification scheme should be in place by without adversely affecting potential projects or policies in your jurisdiction? - Why?
Not Answered
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