Australia, India to set up green hydrogen task force

Market: Hydrogen
24/05/23

India and Australia today agreed to set up an Australia-India Green Hydrogen Task Force to jointly develop green hydrogen resources.

The Indian and Australian governments finalised the terms of reference of the task force, which will advise the two governments on accelerating manufacture and deployment of clean hydrogen, with a focus on hydrogen electrolysers, fuel cells and creating infrastructure and regulations that support these aims, a press release from Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's office said.

"The task force will comprise Australian and Indian experts in renewable hydrogen and report to the Australian-Indian Ministerial Energy Dialogue on the opportunities which are there for Australia and India to cooperate in this important area of renewable hydrogen," Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said.

The announcement of the task force follows discussions between Modi and senior officials of Australian companies on investment opportunities for the two countries, which form half of the four-member Quad security dialogue and have forged closer relations in recent years. The Indian prime minister's office said on 23 May that Modi met Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest to discuss Fortescue's work with Indian companies on green hydrogen. The office said Modi discussed India's ambitious renewable energy strategy including Delhi's green hydrogen mission, while Forrest briefed the Indian prime minister on Fortescue Future Industries' (FFI) plans and projects in India.

India is Australia's sixth largest trading partner with trade in goods and services valued at A$46.5bn ($30.7bn) in 2022, with coal shipments from Australia comprising a major chunk. India imported 45.53mn t of Australian coking coal last year, down from 2021's 54.25mn t but remaining the top destination for the commodity, a position it has held for a decade ahead of Japan. But Australia supplied zero volumes of iron ore to India in 2022, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), as it struggles to diversify its markets despite a desire by major exporters to access its burgeoning steel market. Australia's thermal coal exports to India in 2022 dived by 48pc from 2021 to 9.48mn t because of record high prices.

Albanese has set his 12-month old government on a path to developing renewable energy sources, to eventually replace the nation's major exports of LNG and coal through a more ambitious 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal than his predecessor.

But Australia is reviewing its support for hydrogen as it grapples with generous tax breaks and subsidies being offered worldwide, with the federal government concerned it is losing its edge despite a pipeline of projects representing 40pc of proposed green hydrogen developments. A recently announced funding scheme for hydrogen aims to subsidise two or three projects totalling 1GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030.

India announced a National Green Hydrogen Mission in January targeting 5mn t/yr of domestic green hydrogen production by 2030, with the potential to reach 10mn t/yr with the growth of export markets. India's cabinet approved an initial outlay of 197.44 billion rupees ($2.39bn) for the mission, with much of the funding used to incentivise domestic hydrogen production and electrolyser manufacturing. India plans to grow its installed renewables capacity to 500GW by 2030 from 125GW currently to help meet the government's target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.

By Tom Major and Pranav Joshi

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Hapag-Lloyd buys bio, e-methanol from China's Goldwind

London, 29 November (Argus) — Germany-based containership owner Hapag-Lloyd has struck a long-term deal to buy 250,000 t/yr of blended biomethanol and e-methanol from Chinese wind turbine maker and project developer Goldwind. The deal lasts for more than 10 years and is legally binding, Hapag-Lloyd told Argus . Goldwind will supply Hapag-Lloyd with a smaller volume initially in 2026 and ramp up to 250,000 t/yr in late 2027. Hapag-Lloyd expects the initial volumes to largely fulfil demand from the five dual-fuel methanol ships it will operate from 2026, it said. Goldwind earlier this year started building a 500,000 t/yr plant in Hinggan League, northeast China. The so-called "hybrid" plants will make biomethanol and e-methanol, and Goldwind plans to add a second 500,000 t/yr plant in 2027, the shipowner said. Hapag-Lloyd's deal is for volume from the second plant, it added. The ratio of e-methanol in the deal is 30pc but could be raised to 50pc in the plant's lifetime, Hapag-Lloyd said. The fuel ensures greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of at least 70pc to comply with current sustainability certification requirements, Hapag-Lloyd said. This is likely to refer to the FuelEU Maritime definition of low-carbon fuels as cutting GHG emissions by 70pc compared with fossil benchmarks. Goldwind previously struck a deal to supply 500,000 t/yr of the sustainable methanol mix to Danish shipping and logistics firm Maersk from 2026. While methanol appears to be gaining momentum, shipowners are pursuing a range of fuels for future fleets. Hapag-Lloyd last month ordered 24 dual-fuelled LNG containerships for a combined $4bn. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Uruguay's left-wing candidate wins presidency

25/11/24

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25/11/24

Uruguay's left-wing candidate wins presidency

Montevideo, 25 November (Argus) — The left-wing opposition Frente Amplio will return to power in Uruguay after winning a hard-fought run-off election on 24 November. Yamandu Orsi, former mayor of the Canalones department, was elected president with close to 51pc of valid votes. He defeated Alvaro Delgado, of the ruling Partido Nacional. The Frente will control the senate, but will have a minority in the lower chamber. It last governed from 2015-2020. Orsi will take office on 1 March in one of Latin America's most stable economies, with the World Bank forecasting growth at 3.2pc for this year, much higher than the 1.9pc regional average. He will also inherit a country that has been making strides to implement a second energy transition geared toward continued decarbonization and new technologies, such as SAF and low-carbon hydrogen. He will also have to decide on future oil and natural gas exploration. Uruguay does not produce oil or gas, but has hopes that its offshore mimics that of Nambia, because of similar geology. TotalEnergies has made a major find there. The Frente's government plan states that it "will deepen the energy transition, focusing on the use of renewable energy, and decarbonization of the economy and transportation … gradually regulating so that public and cargo transportation can operate with hydrogen." On to hydrogen Uruguay is already the regional leader with renewable energy, with renewables covering 100pc of power demand on 24 November, according to the state-run power company, UTE. Wind accounted for 49pc, hydro 35pc, biomass 10pc and solar 6pc. Orsi will need to make decisions regarding high-profile projects for low-carbon hydrogen, as well as a push by the state-run Ancap to get private companies to ramp up oil and gas exploration on seven offshore blocks. The industry, energy and mining ministry lists four planned low-carbon hydrogen projects, including one between Chile's HIF and Ancap subsidiary Alur that would have a 1GW electrolyzer. Germany's Enertrag is working on an e-methanol project with a 150MW electrolyzer, while two Uruguayan groups are working on small projects with 2MW and 5MW electrolyzers, respectively. The Orsi government will also need to decide if it continues with Ancap's planned bidding process for four offshore blocks, each between 600-800km² (232-309 mi²), to generate up to 3.2GW of wind power to produce 200,000 t/yr of green hydrogen on floating platforms. The Frente has been noncommittal about the future of seven offshore oil and gas blocks, including three held by Shell, two by the UK's Challenger — which recently farmed in Chevron — and one each by Argentina's state-owned YPF and US-based APA Corporation. The Frente's government plan states that "a national dialogue will be called to analyze the impacts and alternatives to exploration and extraction of fossil fuels." By Lucien Chauvin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Clean NH3 integration needs CoC methods: Hinicio

25/11/24

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25/11/24

Clean NH3 integration needs CoC methods: Hinicio

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EU countries urged to align green H2 rules for refining

20/11/24

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20/11/24

EU countries urged to align green H2 rules for refining

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Hong Kong unveils green maritime fuel action plan

18/11/24

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18/11/24

Hong Kong unveils green maritime fuel action plan

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