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Hydrogen

The Government is taking action to unlock private investment in hydrogen.

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Hydrogen Action Plan

In November 2024, the Government published a Hydrogen Action Plan outlining the steps the Government is taking to lower regulatory barriers and support investment in hydrogen. 

The Plan builds on the analysis and consultation undertaken on the Interim Hydrogen Roadmap published in 2023.

The Hydrogen Action Plan has four key priority areas, as outlined in the graphic below.

The Government's action plan to unlock private investment in hydrogen
The 4 key priority areas of the Hydrogen Action Plan

Read the Hydrogen Action Plan

Download the PDF version

Hydrogen Action Plan: November 2024 [PDF, 1.2 MB]

Read the web version

Hydrogen Action Plan

Previous reports and analysis

Hydrogen report guiding the way for hydrogen integration across New Zealand(external link) — Standards New Zealand

Hydrogen projects in Aotearoa New Zealand

The New Zealand Hydrogen Council publishes a list of hydrogen projects in New Zealand. A number of these projects were supported by co-funding from government.

Current hydrogen projects in New Zealand(external link) — Hydrogen New Zealand

Government investment in hydrogen research, science and innovation

The Government funds hydrogen-related research through the research, science and innovation system. Examples of funding to date include:

  • $8.5 million from MBIE’s Endeavour Fund in 2020 for GNS Science’s project ‘Powering NZ’s green-hydrogen economy: Next-generation electrocatalytic systems for energy production and storage’
  • $1 million from MBIE’s Endeavour Fund in 2019 for GNS Science research on ‘Nano-catalytic surfaces for efficient, stable fuel cells and eco-friendly hydrogen production’.
  • $9 million from the Government’s Advanced Energy Technology Platform invested in GNS Science’s programme ‘Aotearoa: Green Hydrogen Technology’ in 2020.
  • $6.5 million from MBIE’s Endeavour Fund in 2019 invested in the Robinson Research Institute (Victoria University of Wellington)’s Zero-CO2 production of essential technological metals, which is researching the use of hydrogen in steel-making.
  • $2.6 million to establish the German New Zealand Green Hydrogen Research Centre and co-fund three research projects with the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).
  • $11.8 million for Pūhiko Nukutū: a green hydrogen geostorage battery in Taranaki, a project led by the University of Canterbury to assess the potential for underground geological hydrogen storage.

The Government also provides support for the uptake of hydrogen vehicles through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s Low Emission Transport Fund and the ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure programme. Examples of transport projects have benefited from Government funding include: 

  • $160,000 for Auckland Transport to trial a hydrogen fuel cell bus, built by Christchurch firm Global Bus Ventures Ltd. The bus has been operating since 2021.
  • $500,000 for Hyundai Motors New Zealand to purchase and deploy a fleet of 5 medium duty hydrogen trucks. The first truck has been leased to NZ Post, which has been operating the vehicle since 2022.
  • $16 million loan for Hiringa Energy to establish a hydrogen refuelling network in the North Island. 
  • $6 million for Funded TR Group to support the purchase up to 20 heavy freight hydrogen trucks. TR Group will lease the trucks to its customers and use Hiringa’s hydrogen refuelling network.
  • $389,000 for HW Richardson to support the purchase of 6 hydrogen conversion kits for dual fuel hydrogen diesel combustion trucks.

In Budget 2024, the Government committed $30 million over three years for a Low Emissions Heavy Vehicles Fund. 

Low Emissions Heavy Vehicles Fund(external link) — EECA

International collaboration

New Zealand is collaborating internationally to support research and development of hydrogen technology. This includes:

 

In this section

Hydrogen Action Plan

Interim hydrogen roadmap: Public consultation submissions summary

This report summarises key themes from the submissions received on the Interim Hydrogen Roadmap 2023 public consultation, as well as submissions on the broader Advancing New Zealand’s Energy Transition consultation package that commented on hydrogen.

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https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/energy-generation-and-markets/hydrogen
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