Project delays put Australia’s Japanese hydrogen hopes at risk

According to The Australian Financial Review, the transition to hydrogen/ammonia is not easy. The biggest challenge is its high cost. This is why Japan has announced its plan to introduce legislation, the Hydrogen Promotion Act, to provide a framework to offset the cost differential between hydrogen and conventional energies for 15 years through supported projects.
The Japanese government has also announced a plan to allocate 3 trillion yen, about $30 billion, to promote hydrogen. Japan is committed to developing the initial market with strong policy support. This framework will be applicable to both domestically produced hydrogen and imported hydrogen.
Australia has the potential to become a major supplier of hydrogen to Japan. The continent is endowed with rich renewable energies, as well as abundant fossil fuels, both of which can be used to produce hydrogen.
Recently, uncertainties have come to the fore. Large-scale projects are now held back by the need for permits and opposition from local stakeholders. As hydrogen projects are large-scale and expensive, the perceived risk of delays is not helpful. Changes in policies have affected existing and ongoing energy projects in Australia. While Japanese players are not opposed to those policy changes per se, due respect to the legitimate interests of the investors who have made long and substantial commitments could be better honoured. 

https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/project-delays-put-australia-s-japanese-hydrogen-hopes-at-risk-20240201-p5f1jo