Estimates - Ellis - Green Hydrogen

CHAIR - Thank you. So, minister, I believe that in 2024 there was $8 million of Tasmanian taxpayers' money given to Countrywide to set up green hydrogen hubs and a hydrogen transport network, and I presume that that's separate from that money that Ms Pinto is talking about. So can you just tell us what's been delivered in relation to those projects.

Mr ELLIS - Thanks, Chair. Again, not my portfolio, but happy to try and assist the committee, if Ms Pinto is -

Ms PINTO - Thank you. So through you, minister, just acknowledging that is a matter for the Energy portfolio, but in answering that question, the government had a number of initiatives that were being considered in the hydrogen space. One was what's referred to as a green hydrogen price reduction scheme, of which you've made reference to the recipient of a Crown Law grant, being Countrywide, to that scheme; and the intention with that scheme is that as new technology comes online in an industry like energy, it takes time for that technology to be competitive with substitutes. So it's a very pertinent example at this point in time, with the fuel crisis that's occurring globally: so diesel is a is a very heavily-relied-upon fossil fuel, and green hydrogen in different forms, including in other forms such as ammonia and methanol, can be used as a substitute. What you can see occurring is that the difference between what the market's prepared today to pay and what the cost of production is can have a differential, so the intention of the green hydrogen price reduction scheme and the sum of 8 million was to bridge that gap. The conditions of that contract with Crown law deed with the recipients is it only triggers once they start production, and that hasn't occurred as yet. They're still going through a development phase. So that funding hasn't been called on as yet.

CHAIR - Okay, I suppose you know, like I've been asking these questions about various green hydrogen projects and I wonder, minister, if you can take on notice to list all of the money spent, all taxpayer money spent, on these projects to date, please.

Mr ELLIS - As I mentioned, Chair, happy to follow up with minister Duigan and working with the department.