Email your MP: Rule out support for coal to hydrogen

Email your MP

Help put an end to this polluting brown coal to hydrogen project, once and for all!

Last week we saw reports out of Japan that Kawasaki Heavy Industries had withdrawn from the project. They have since backtracked, stating that they are still involved, but that a key element of the project – the “Commercial Demonstration Phase” – will now happen in Japan instead of Australia.

If that sounds confusing, it’s because it is … But what we do know is that, beset by failures and doubts, the project is on shaky ground, and it’s clear we’re having an impact!

The other companies involved will be scrambling to find a way to keep this dirty project going – and likely approaching the Victorian government for further public funding.

Will you ask your MP to make sure this project doesn’t get a public a bailout?

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Read Our Petition Message

Dear [We’ll insert your MP’s name here],

I’m writing to ask that you seek assurance from the Premier, Hon. Jacinta Allan MP, that no further funding or support be given to the disastrous HESC coal-to-hydrogen project, and that you request she provides Victorians with an update on the status of this project.

Last week, The Age newspaper reported that one of the key backers of the HESC coal-to-hydrogen project has now given up on plans to ship the brown coal hydrogen to Japan for the next phase of the project – ‘the commercial demonstration phase.’ The export of hydrogen, and the Japanese government’s plan to support the shipping component of the project, have always been central to the business case for HESC.

With Kawasaki shifting its immediate focus to domestic Japanese supply, there are urgent questions about the future of HESC and the Victorian government’s relationship to the project.

The project has received more than $100 million of public money – through both Commonwealth and Victorian governments, and Victorians have a right to know what this breaking news means for the project and to demand an end to public money for this fossil fuel scheme.

If it were to go ahead, the HESC project would pollute Gippsland’s air and water and create more than 3 million tonnes of carbon pollution each year – equivalent to adding over 550,000 petrol cars to the road.

HESC’s environmental claims rely on the promise of CCS technology to capture and bury carbon pollution, but CCS projects have a track-record of being unreliable and expensive – beset by delays and failure.

As economies like Korea and Japan decarbonise and invest in renewable technology, Victoria could be left with an expensive stranded asset and another coal mine to clean up.

As a Victorian, I want to see my government supporting long-term, clean energy and industry – building our future and not using taxpayer funds to prop-up a calamitous fossil fuel project.

Will you represent my concerns to the Premier, requesting an update on the status of HESC and asking her to rule out a bailout, or any further funding for the project backers?

[We’ll insert your name and postcode here]

Here’s a reminder of why this proposal is such a disaster …

A group of Japanese companies (J-POWER and Sumitomo corporation) want to build a ‘gasification plant’ to extract hydrogen from brown coal and then ship it to Japan through the Port of Hastings.

If it proceeds, it could create more than 3 million tonnes of carbon pollution every year, equivalent to adding over 550,000 petrol cars to the road!

Using brown coal to make hydrogen is even more polluting than burning brown coal in a power station, because 35% of the energy is lost in the gasification process!

Way back in April 2018 the Federal and Victorian governments provided $100 million in public money to run a small pilot experiment. This test project used a whopping 150 tonnes of coal to make one single ton of hydrogen.

It was such a terrible idea that many people thought it would simply fall over on its own – like every other attempt to repurpose dirty brown coal. But this coal zombie is putting up a fight!

Check out our article here for all the details on this dirty project >>

With the trial complete, there’s now a risk that it could be scaled up into a full commercial operation. But if the Victorian government rules out any more funding or support, we can stop this polluting project in its tracks!