QLS representatives James Plumb and Wendy Devine have appeared at today’s public hearing with the Transport and Resources Committee on the inquiry into the Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023.
On 9 May 2023, the Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen introduced the Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 to the Queensland Parliament.
It was referred to the Transport and Resources Committee for detailed consideration.
The Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 aims to provide a clear regulatory assessment pathway to authorise the construction and operation of pipelines for hydrogen and hydrogen carriers in Queensland. Hydrogen carriers could include ammonia, methanol, methyl-cyclohexane (MCH), dimethyl-ether and toluene in pipelines.
To achieve its objectives, the Supply and other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Bill 2023 proposes to amend:
the Gas Supply Act 2003 to expand its jurisdiction to hydrogen blends biomethane and other gases; and
the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 to provide a clear and effective regulatory pathway for a proponent to apply for a pipeline licence for the transmission of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers.
QLS broadly supports the approach taken in this Bill to extend the current regulatory and safety frameworks for natural gas pipelines to hydrogen and other renewable gases.
It considers these amendments are straightforward and sensible. The amendments will provide substantial benefit and efficiencies to the hydrogen industry.
In its submission, QLS highlighted the next phase of regulatory reform needed to deal with how water would be accommodated in the wider regulatory framework for the hydrogen industry.
“The production of hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen by means of electrolysis, will require substantial quantities of water both as an input and as a by-product of the production process,” the submission stated.
“We therefore recommend that consideration be given to establishing a framework for granting pipeline licences for water, where the water is required for the production of hydrogen or where water is the by-product of hydrogen production.”
QLS also recognised the Bill represented the first stages of regulatory reform to support Queensland’s growing hydrogen industry and that further consultation would take place.
Read the QLS submission here and see the Transport and Resources Committee page for more information about the Bill, including other submissions.
The committee is due to table its report on Friday 14 July 2023.
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