On Friday, 28 March 2025 the government assumed a Caretaker role. Some consultations have been deactivated until further notice, in accordance with the Guidance on Caretaker Conventions.

Overview

The National Hydrogen Regulatory Review is an initiative of Commonwealth, state and territory energy ministers. 

Our immediate priority is to develop National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice (the Codes) to support the safe and efficient growth of Australia’s hydrogen industry. The first 2 codes being developed are hydrogen production and refuelling.

The Codes are an adaptive approach to regulatory reform to provide:

  • improved safety and environmental protection outcomes

  • national consistency

  • transparent regulatory pathways

  • efficient regulatory approvals. 

The Codes will deliver improved regulatory transparency and certainty for hydrogen projects in each Australian jurisdiction by identifying:

  • relevant regulatory obligations including:

    • existing legal obligations

    • obligations which do not currently apply to the hydrogen industry but apply to analogous activities (such as other gas or hazardous chemical industries)

  • regulators associated with the lifecycle activities of projects

  • regulatory guidance, including best practice based on:

    • existing Australian and international practice and precedence

    • technical specifications

    • case studies

    • standards. 

The National Codes will provide guidance on how risks associated with hydrogen facilities can be effectively managed. Hydrogen facilities, as is the case for other hazardous industries, may involve a range of potential risks, although these are manageable through appropriate facility design and practices.

There will be ongoing consultation and engagement as the drafting of the Codes progresses.

This page is for the purposes of holding all relevant national hydrogen regulatory review consultation documents past and present.

November 2024 consultation - Technical and regulatory mapping underpinning the National Codes of Best Practice: Hydrogen Production and Refuelling

As part of the ongoing development of the National Codes of Best Practice we are now consulting on the first draft content of the first 2 priority Codes: Hydrogen Production and Refuelling. Detailed guidance and background is set out in the Information for participants.

1.      Facility Technical Mapping: the Facility Technical Maps are ‘strawperson’ documents created for the purpose of collectively agreeing a standardised understanding of the operating environment of production and refuelling facilities relevant to hydrogen regulatory frameworks (including relevant job roles and competencies).

It will inform the development of both regulatory and technical guidance in the National Codes. It has been divided into 2 separate facility maps for Plant and Equipment and Environmental Considerations.

 As per the following, Plant and Equipment has an associated document, Job Roles and Competencies. For each map there is an overarching schematic representation.

2.      Draft Regulator Matrix: the Regulator Matrix provides a snapshot of how relevant regulatory frameworks across Australia apply to hydrogen production and refuelling facilities. It also identifies relevant regulators or government contacts should proponents have any queries about an approval or compliance obligation applying to their project. 

Please see the following consultation documents.  In particular, please refer to Information for participants and the Additional information for participants - slide deck prior to answering Questions for participants.

These documents provide further context to:

  • the proposed content of the Codes

  • how they are being ‘built’

  • how the technical mapping consultation documents will be integrated. 

This will assist participants to provide the most focused input to the Questions for participants

Consultation documents

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

These documents can be found on the department's consultation hub.

Have your say

Feedback can be provided by completing document 2. National Hydrogen Codes - consultation questions (from the list above).

When you're ready to upload your submission, click the ‘upload your submission’ button below.

Any supporting attachments can also be uploaded using the ‘upload your submission’ button.

Please submit your feedback by 11.59pm Sunday, 8 December 2024.

Please direct any enquiries to National Hydrogen Regulatory Review at nationalhydrogenregulatoryreview@dcceew.gov.au.

Previous consultations

National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice Co – design workshop materials – October - November 2023

In February 2023 priority measures were announced, including the development of the 5 National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice.  The development of the codes of best practice is occurring with industry and regulator support, through co-design workshops. These workshops are being hosted both face to face and online, over October-November 2023.

National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice - Workshop Agenda [PDF 138KB] [DOCX 37KB]

National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice - Co-design Workshops - Information for Participants [PDF 484KB] [DOCX 755KB]

National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice - Workshop Presentation [PDF 4497KB]

National Codes of Best Practice - Potentially Relevant Legislation Matrix [DOCX 29KB] [PDF 222KB]

Input document 1 - Code Scope - current descriptions [DOCX 28KB] [PDF 125 KB]

Input document 2 - Code Scope - components and processes [DOCX 33KB] [PDF 151KB]

Input document 3 - Code Scope - legislative sectors and themes [DOCX 22KB] [PDF 128KB]

Input document 4 - Relevant regulatory obligations and best practice [DOCX 44KB] [PDF 358KB]

1st phase review consultation documents - December 2022

The first phase of the regulatory review was conducted during 2022, culminating in industry and regulator consultations in December 2022.  The outcomes of these consultations informed the identification of priority reform measures announced in early 2023.

Please note, the Consultation Seminar does not commence till 10 min 30 sec into the recording

Stage 1 (previous stage)

  • 1st phase review consultation
    closed

    8-18 November 2022

Stage 2 (previous stage)

  • National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice Co-design workshops
    closed

    12-26 October 2023

Stage 3 (current stage)

  • Consultation on technical and regulatory mapping underpinning the National Codes of Best Practice: Hydrogen Production and Refuelling
    closed

    11 November 2024

  • Consultation closes
    closed

    8 December 2024

Stage 4 (upcoming stages)

  • Further opportunities for feedback and consultation on drafts of the National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice.
    pending

More information

If you would like to be notified of any upcoming consultations, or to contact the project team developing the National Hydrogen Codes of Best Practice, please contact us via the email below.

Contact
National Hydrogen Regulatory Review
nationalhydrogenregulatoryreview@dcceew.gov.au