A public inquiry has been established by the NSW Legislative Council’s Standing Committee on State Development, which has released the terms of reference for the important inquiry, with submissions closing on 26 February 2021.

“This is an important public inquiry, especially for the Illawarra region.

“Hydrogen is one of the most natural resources we have and its technological application could have game-changing implications for our steel industry at Port Kembla and creating thousands of new job opportunities.

“The development of the hydrogen industry in the Illawarra was one of the drivers behind my push to have the Illawarra declared a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) last year.

“Illawarra industry stakeholders need to be leading the debate on the use of hydrogen and setting the framework for developing the hydrogen industry in this state.

“The great opportunities offered by this public inquiry process must not be squandered by any industry stakeholder group in the Illawarra.

“I urge Illawarra industry stakeholders to be part of leading the debate, pushing the ideas, and setting the framework for new business, export and, most importantly, new industry and job opportunities right here in the Illawarra region by participating in this public inquiry process on the development of a hydrogen industry”, he said.

Mr Scully said that the use of hydrogen in industrial processes like making steel was being explored in South Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.

He said Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest had used the first of his ABC Boyer Lecture series to focus on the use and development of a hydrogen industry in Australia.  Mr Forrest is currently pressing ahead with building a $250 million LNG terminal at Port Kembla.