Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles offer opportunity for the future: CEFC

1 April 2015

Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) today congratulated Hyundai on its progress toward bringing hydrogen-powered passenger cars to Australia. CEFC CEO Oliver Yates was commenting at the launch today of Australia’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, by the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ian Macfarlane MP.

Mr Yates said: “Whilst hydrogen can be produced from many energy sources, the potential to produce hydrogen from renewable solar and wind energy, particularly for fuel cell powered electric vehicles, is of significant interest and potential economic benefit for Australia. The refuelling facility at Ryde in Sydney will generate hydrogen from solar panels – demonstrating that you can bottle sunshine to refuel cars.”

While there is a lot of work to be done in this area, much is already known, and we have significant Australian expertise and knowledge that can be harnessed, Mr Yates added.

“There is emerging interest in hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles across the globe,” Mr Yates said.

“The widespread introduction of this technology will require appropriate infrastructure investment, such as accessible refuelling stations. The CEFC is looking to work with industry and key stakeholders to develop a program to economically introduce fuel cell powered commercial vehicles and the establishment of the necessary infrastructure to facilitate this technology.”