Published Tuesday, 17 June, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
Conference Considers Potential of Hydrogen as Future Energy Source
An international conference on renewable energy in Brisbane has been told there is no more pressing challenge for the world than finding solutions to climate change.
Addressing the World Hydrogen Energy Conference, Queensland Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said that inherent in our efforts to combat global warming is the need for abundant renewable energy.
Mr McNamara said the future of renewable energy and its links to hydrogen as an energy-carrier is an opportunity of global proportions.
“Humanity is now focused on finding alternatives to oil... that cheap and easily available energy drug which has spawned generations of energy junkies,” Mr McNamara said.
“Finally, we have realised there are limits to the lifestyles we’ve developed and promoted, which are dependent on plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, petrol and other hydrocarbon-derivatives.
“Hydrogen is attracting considerable attention from industry, researchers and governments as a low carbon energy option in the fight against climate change.
“The theme of this conference - Supplying Energy to a Changing World - isn’t just apt, it’s essential.
“While hydrogen could contribute to global energy needs and a cleaner environment, significant technical and cost challenges need to be overcome before hydrogen can be used more widely.”
Mr McNamara said that for decades we’ve lived in a world driven by consumption and the assumption of limitless fossil fuel supplies.
He said the time has come for a world driven by sustainability and renewable energy.
“Sustainability is the crucial environmental, economic and social issue facing the world today,” Mr McNamara said.
“Climate change is reshaping international trade, domestic and industrial energy, transport and the very biosphere upon which all human endeavours depend.
“The traditional biodiversity conservation practices of identifying tracts of land and preserving them is no longer sufficient.
“If we don’t get climate change under control, then mere fences or other barriers won’t protect some of our flora and fauna from extinction.
“The Stern Report on climate change last year suggested that a rise of two degrees in average world temperatures would lead to species extinction rates of between 15 and 40 percent.
“Scientific consensus is that two degrees of global warming is already locked in because of past actions.
“Our challenge is to stop that getting any higher, and to find ways to offset the negative impacts of the two degrees already happening.”
Mr McNamara also said the Queensland Government is committed to progressing the development of clean energy technologies as part of its overall response to climate change.
In June 2007, the Queensland Government released its climate change strategy ClimateSmart 2050, which prescribes activities to reduce carbon emissions and minimise the impact of global warming on the Queensland economy.
The ClimateSmart 2050 strategy includes initiatives encouraging the development of low carbon emission technologies, such as hydrogen and fuel cells.
The Queensland Government has also formed collaborative research alliances with South Carolina and North Rhine Westphalia to advance hydrogen-focused alternative energy.
In addition, the University of Queensland is leading the National Hydrogen Materials Alliance, a recently formed research cluster of 11 Australian universities, which includes Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.
Funding has also been provided under the State Government’s Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund to Hydrexia located at the University of Queensland to develop hydrogen storage technology that stores a high density of hydrogen safely and at low cost.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004
Addressing the World Hydrogen Energy Conference, Queensland Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said that inherent in our efforts to combat global warming is the need for abundant renewable energy.
Mr McNamara said the future of renewable energy and its links to hydrogen as an energy-carrier is an opportunity of global proportions.
“Humanity is now focused on finding alternatives to oil... that cheap and easily available energy drug which has spawned generations of energy junkies,” Mr McNamara said.
“Finally, we have realised there are limits to the lifestyles we’ve developed and promoted, which are dependent on plastics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, petrol and other hydrocarbon-derivatives.
“Hydrogen is attracting considerable attention from industry, researchers and governments as a low carbon energy option in the fight against climate change.
“The theme of this conference - Supplying Energy to a Changing World - isn’t just apt, it’s essential.
“While hydrogen could contribute to global energy needs and a cleaner environment, significant technical and cost challenges need to be overcome before hydrogen can be used more widely.”
Mr McNamara said that for decades we’ve lived in a world driven by consumption and the assumption of limitless fossil fuel supplies.
He said the time has come for a world driven by sustainability and renewable energy.
“Sustainability is the crucial environmental, economic and social issue facing the world today,” Mr McNamara said.
“Climate change is reshaping international trade, domestic and industrial energy, transport and the very biosphere upon which all human endeavours depend.
“The traditional biodiversity conservation practices of identifying tracts of land and preserving them is no longer sufficient.
“If we don’t get climate change under control, then mere fences or other barriers won’t protect some of our flora and fauna from extinction.
“The Stern Report on climate change last year suggested that a rise of two degrees in average world temperatures would lead to species extinction rates of between 15 and 40 percent.
“Scientific consensus is that two degrees of global warming is already locked in because of past actions.
“Our challenge is to stop that getting any higher, and to find ways to offset the negative impacts of the two degrees already happening.”
Mr McNamara also said the Queensland Government is committed to progressing the development of clean energy technologies as part of its overall response to climate change.
In June 2007, the Queensland Government released its climate change strategy ClimateSmart 2050, which prescribes activities to reduce carbon emissions and minimise the impact of global warming on the Queensland economy.
The ClimateSmart 2050 strategy includes initiatives encouraging the development of low carbon emission technologies, such as hydrogen and fuel cells.
The Queensland Government has also formed collaborative research alliances with South Carolina and North Rhine Westphalia to advance hydrogen-focused alternative energy.
In addition, the University of Queensland is leading the National Hydrogen Materials Alliance, a recently formed research cluster of 11 Australian universities, which includes Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.
Funding has also been provided under the State Government’s Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund to Hydrexia located at the University of Queensland to develop hydrogen storage technology that stores a high density of hydrogen safely and at low cost.
Media contact: Peter McCarthy 3336 8004