HAMR Energy are pleased to announce it has been awarded a grant to investigate the use of renewable hydrogen in the manufacture of methanol. The exciting project, funded as part of the Hydrogen Business Ready Fund round of grants has the potential to stimulate the renewable hydrogen industry, reduce waste going to landfill, support local manufacturing and create jobs.

The grant is part of the Victorian Governments Renewable Hydrogen Develop Plan and is a step in the development of a renewable hydrogen industry in Victoria. The project will assess the technical requirements and develop a business case for methanol production utilising renewable hydrogen and currently unrecyclable waste.

The ability to produce methanol locally has the potential to create jobs in the manufacturing sector and grow the economy by displacing imports. The ability to combine renewable hydrogen in the treatment of waste has the potential to reduce waste going to landfill and provide Victorians a true pathway to a zero-waste to landfill future.

Methanol is a building block for industrial processes that support our everyday lives, including being used in adhesives, cleaning products and medical applications. Australia currently imports all it consumes, which is an estimated $60M dollars’ worth of methanol per annum. The development of a methanol plant in Melbourne would provide a commercial use for renewable hydrogen unlocking a pathway to green chemicals and liquid fuels.

Hydrogen is a critical part of the energy future in Australia and creating demand will be necessary for its early adoption. Uses cases for renewable hydrogen like methanol can play a critical role in the development of a hydrogen economy.

HAMR Energy Director Alex Smith said, “This is an exciting announcement for us. The use of renewable hydrogen to displace fossil fuels is critical to decarbonising the economy. This grant funding and the support of our corporate participants will allow our vision of becoming Australia’s leading green chemicals manufacturer to be realised. We thank DELWP and our partners for their ongoing support”.