Fuelling cooperation: The Indo-Pacific hydrogen transformation

By James Bowen

Integrating hydrogen into energy systems has become a major international priority. The principal objective is to exploit hydrogen’s potential to unlock greater renewables penetration, and thus avoid the most extreme effects of climate change. However, energy security, technology leadership, and infrastructural concerns also support the hydrogen agenda.
Many governments are seeking to establish hydrogen in the Indo-Pacific energy system, and the creation of an integrated Indo-Pacific hydrogen market would transform regional geopolitics.

Australia’s most significant opportunity in this emerging market lies in its potential role as the principal supplier of green hydrogen, with few other countries as well-placed for the job. However, international cooperation will be essential to create this market and realise Australia’s position in it.

This report, written by Perth USAsia Centre Policy Fellow, James Bowen, highlights the critical importance of countries working together to overcome obstacles such as a massive need for new infrastructure investment over several decades, examines the huge, shared benefits that could flow from a successful process, and provides several practical policy recommendations to help Australia realise its own and the broader Indo-Pacific’s hydrogen potential.