CANBERRA, AAP – Australia will begin exporting clean hydrogen to Japan as part of a multimillion dollar program to grow the renewable energy industry.

Under a new agreement signed on Thursday, Japan will take part in the first round of Australia’s $150 million clean hydrogen trade program.

The program will support projects to develop clean hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, such as clean ammonia, in Australia for export.

Clean hydrogen is expected to directly support 16,000 jobs by 2050, with an additional 13,000 jobs from the construction of related renewable energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the program would help Australia to reduce emissions by working with other countries to drive the cost of developing clean energy technologies down.

 

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Mr Morrison and his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the deal during Thursday’s virtual meeting.

Following the meeting, Mr Morrison said the deal would accelerate Australia’s hydrogen export industry.

“When Osaka hosts the World Expo in 2025, Australia will be there to showcase the best of Australian ingenuity and innovation,” he told reporters in Canberra.