There’s another billion-dollar industry that could supercharge the Australian economy that also starts with an A.
And unlike AI, there’s no debate about its environmental credentials.
It’s a key piece of the puzzle for decarbonising global shipping. It’s in demand across Asia to help clean up power generation. And Australia is sitting on exactly what it takes to lead the world in producing it.
Ammonia.
Clean ammonia, to be precise.
Ammonia already underpins the fertiliser industry and the explosives used across Australian mining. But low-emissions “clean” ammonia is shaping up as something bigger, a genuine new growth pillar for the national economy.
Australia has the raw resources, the export infrastructure, the trading relationships and the maritime capability to become a serious global player in clean ammonia production.
“It is not often that Australia has such an opportunity to lead on the global stage,” says Stephen Hall, CEO of NH3 Clean Energy. “To not take that opportunity would be such a waste in terms of diversifying Australia’s economy, strengthening it, and reducing emissions.”
The numbers back him up.
NH3 Clean Energy’s WAH2 Project, near Karratha in Western Australia, has had its economic potential independently assessed, and the figures are eye-catching. An ACIL Allen report found the project alone could:
- Contribute to Australia’s GDP by A$7.3 billion over the project’s life, averaging A$253 million a year
- Boost national real income by A$6.2 billion over the project’s life, averaging over A$212 million a year
“Ammonia is the thing you might not have heard of,” Hall says, “but something you cannot afford to ignore.”
With numbers like that on the table, it’s an industry the Australian government can’t afford to ignore either.
