Japanese upstream player Inpex will provide A$1.5 million ($1.162 million) in research funding to Future Energy Exports Cooperative Research Centre (FEnEx CRC) to help develop new technologies that will lower the cost and carbon emissions of energy production in Australia.
The partnership with FEnEx CRC, announced yesterday, supports studies on efficiency of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production value chains, digital technologies, and new hydrogen energy and export to market.
Inpex president director Australia Hitoshi Okawa said he was pleased to partner with FEnEx CRC to undertake studies to research and develop innovative solutions for producing clean and sustainable energy in Australia with important benefits for energy importers, including Japan.
“As a proud member of the Australian business community for more than 30 years and the operator of Ichthys LNG, INPEX is pleased to support high value research and development to lower our carbon footprint, consistent with the Paris Agreement,” said Okawa.
“We recently announced a new business development strategy which includes a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. We look forward to working with FEnEx CRC to undertake studies to support the expansion of our energy business including our strategy for future production and supply of hydrogen.”
FEnEx CRC, which is headquartered in Western Australia, is a collaboration between industry, government and research institutions, and a project initiative facilitated by the Western Australian Government’s LNG Jobs Taskforce.
Western Australia’s Minister for State Development Roger Cook congratulated INPEX for being the latest member of the State’s LNG Jobs Taskforce to join the FEnEx CRC.
“As well as helping to sustain Western Australia’s position as a leading global LNG exporter, the FEnEx CRC’s research program will help position us to become a leading global hydrogen exporter, as markets and technology change over the coming decade,” said Cook.