The Japanese Government’s $2 billion investment to commercialise a coal-to-hydrogen project in Victoria is terrific news for regional jobs, according to the Mining and Energy Union (MEU).
MEU Victorian President Trevor Williams stated that the project would provide hope and opportunity for working people in the Latrobe Valley, where previous and upcoming coal-fired power station closures have caused significant concern about the region’s future.
“The pilot project has demonstrated that carbon-neutral hydrogen can be economically generated from Latrobe Valley coal and transported to Japan,” Williams said.
According to Williams, developing and commercialising the initiative aids the Japanese economy’s energy transition while also creating a viable new sector to support the Latrobe Valley’s economic development.
“We expect that contracts to provide coal to the hydrogen plant will provide full-time, well-paid career pathways for Latrobe Valley coal mineworkers and energy workers facing displacement by power station closures,” Williams added.
He stated that any responsible government must encourage any industry consistent with a low-carbon future and provide good alternative jobs for power employees and coal miners.
According to projections, the initiative will provide more than 1000 jobs annually throughout its active period, with almost half of them located in the Latrobe Valley.
Williams added that the hydrogen plant was the first real step towards the Latrobe Valley’s economic diversification and could pave the way for producing other carbon-neutral products from Latrobe Valley coal, such as urea, ammonia, and Adblue, thereby supporting Australia’s self-sufficiency in these products.
