Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Adjournment

HAMR Energy

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (19:00): (171) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Regional Development, and the action I seek is for the minister to support HAMR Energy’s innovative attempt to produce green methanol – a low-carbon shipping alternative – at Portland. Tasmania has a similar project but it is nowhere near the scale or the potential of Portland. Two ingredients are needed to make green methanol: hydrogen, which is extracted from water in a process called electrolysis, and carbon dioxide. HAMR Energy seek to produce carbon dioxide from forestry industry by-products. Forestry is a well-established industry in the Portland area. The green triangle region, which includes Portland, has the largest commercial forestry industry in Australia, exporting 52 per cent of Australia’s commercial plantation. The Portland region exports millions of tonnes of timber each year. It is anticipated that around 300,000 tonnes of forestry industry by-products, including litter from the plantation floor, trimmings, damaged goods and parts of fire-damaged plantations, will be used to create green methanol.

Shipping is responsible for 2 per cent of the world’s annual carbon emissions. Green methanol emits 90 per cent less carbon than regular fuel, and the shipping industry’s transition to green methanol will assist the industry in meeting its international emissions obligations. As green methanol is a liquid, it is safer, less toxic, easier and more efficient to transport and store. The HAMR Energy flagship project, Portland Renewable Fuels, has a target to produce 200 kilotonnes of green methanol each year. HAMR Energy anticipate that employment will be created for over 80 people, and it is projected that by 2027 over 100 methanol-powered vessels will be in operation, indicating a clear demand for this product.

It is an exciting time for energy generation. This is the perfect time for Victoria to be ahead of the game. This is a perfect opportunity for the Minister for Regional Development to demonstrate that this government does in fact govern for all Victorians. Regional Development Victoria purports to be the Victorian government’s lead agency responsible for rural and regional economic development. One of Regional Development Victoria’s strategic directions for the Great South Coast is to maximise the potential of the region’s energy resources – sounds like a perfect fit for HAMR Energy’s Portland Renewable Fuels. Portland is the perfect location for this project. It has a deep-water port, it has a forestry industry on its doorstep, it has a 500,000-volt power connection and it has access to renewable energy. I call on the minister to support HAMR Energy and its development of green methanol at Portland.