Overview

The Joint Chemical Engineering Committee (JCEC) welcomes you as we discuss the CSIRO “National Hydrogen Roadmap”. Launched in August 2018, it outlined how there is vast potential for a new industry in hydrogen, building on our national technological advantages, export capabilities and strong relationships with key international energy markets.

Since then there have been a number of demonstration projects and studies funded by Federal and State governments which have exacerbated the hype around hydrogen energy systems without due consideration for the social licence required to grow this nascent industry that asks a drought stricken country to provide water as feedstock.

In this webinar we will review some of the key lessons learned to date through development of lighthouse hydrogen projects in Australia and Europe which are distilled into a four step process that will help future project proponents to ensure social, environmental and economic parameters are all duly considered thus avoiding the hype that has seen unnecessary waste of public funds on unsustainable hydrogen demonstration projects to date.

Speaker

Dr Neil Thompson, ADEE MBA PhD MIMC MAICD, is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Member of the Australian Institute of Management Consultants and Institute of Company Directors, Managing Director of ITM Power Pty Ltd and Director of the Australian Hydrogen Council.

Neil started his career in the Australian power generation industry as a cadet electrical engineer before moving to corporate Japan to work in the radiation processing industry using high efficiency ultraviolet and electron beam technology.

This was followed by a move to Europe working in the automotive component industry before returning to Australia in 1999 to develop off-grid solar PV power systems for the telecommunications industry followed by application of this technology in the urban development sector and post-graduate research into the integration of renewable energy systems and battery electric/fuel cell electric vehicles for improved housing affordability. Neil was awarded his PhD in 2016 followed by appointment to his current Board role with ITM Power in late 2017 then his adjunct engagement with QUT in 2018.

He has recently joined the University of Queensland’s advisory Board for their Master of Sustainable Energy course and is a regular guest speaker on ABC regional radio discussing how hydrogen energy systems may help to solve energy and water problems in agribusiness.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Queensland Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.