Winston Peters
New Zealand hydrogen fuel development has received a boost.
A Provincial Growth Fund investment to help develop hydrogen fuel infrastructure in Taranaki has been announced by acting prime minister Winston Peters.
A $950,000 grant will be made to Hiringa Energy and its partners seeking to develop zero emission hydrogen transport fuel.
The funding will be used to scope the engineering and design of two hydrogen generation facilities, up to four mobile compressed hydrogen storage and distribution containers, and up to three hydrogen refuelling stations.
Both New Zealand and Australia plan “hydrogen economies” where hydrogen fuel cells can extend transportation range and to sell hydrogen to other countries.
“It has the potential to provide further employment and investment opportunities through clean energy technology,” Peters says.
“This funding supports the next step towards developing a specialist skill base in the region to support hydrogen projects. This project’s deliverables will help grow the industry that has the potential to reduce emissions and provide clean, sustainable, secure energy,” he says.
“Since the first investment from the Provincial Growth Fund into Taranaki, the government has invested NZ$21.4 million into initiatives that will provide economic development opportunities in the region.”
