Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory – Hydrogen Industry Policy Initiatives

In April 2018, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government released the ACT’s Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles Action Plan 2018–21 (the Plan) to accelerate the transition to battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles, including shifting to a zero-emissions Government passenger vehicle fleet from 2020.

The Plan sets a direction for the ACT to accelerate and support the uptake of zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and electric bikes. The Plan calls for at least 50% of all newly leased ACT Government fleet passenger vehicles to be zero-emissions vehicles in 2019-20, increasing to 100% from 2020-21 (where fit for purpose).

The ACT Government offers stamp duty exemption for new zero-emissions vehicles, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and offers a 20% discount on registration fees for zero-emissions vehicles.

In September 2019, the ACT Government released the ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-25 (the Strategy). The Strategy outlines how the ACT would act to further reduce its greenhouse gas emissions once emissions from electricity generation have been reduced to zero (this targeted for 2020).

The Strategy replaces the previous ACT Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan released in 2012 and the ACT Climate Change Adaptation Strategy released in 2016.

Action 4.5 of the Strategy is the development of a natural gas transition plan (the Transition Plan) for achieving zero emissions from natural gas use by 2045. The Transition Plan will be released by 2024, allowing the ACT Government to develop a considered policy position which accounts for potential developments in zero emissions technologies and green alternatives to natural gas (including biogas and hydrogen).

The ACT Government is pursuing ‘best practice’ sustainability in Government operations and has set emission reductions targets of:

• greater than a 33% reduction in emissions from Government operations by 2025 (from 2020 levels)
• zero emissions from the ACT Government operations by 2040.

Hydrogen-related research and development activities can also be supported through the ACT Government’s AUD$12 million Renewable Energy Innovation Fund (REIF).

In July 2024, the ACT Government announced an award of AUD$750,143 under the Energy Innovation Fund (Technology Demonstration Grant) to New Frontier Technologies to support development of lightweight, type V (liner-less) all-composite pressure vessels that will increase capacity for hydrogen storage, which the release notes is an important part of the infrastructure required to achieve local net-zero targets.

 

Updated: August 2024