Thousands of vehicles travel along the Warrego Highway between Toowoomba and Brisbane each day but on Tuesday an electric car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell made the trip for the first time.
The 250-kilometre round trip was the furthest distance the hydrogen-powered vehicle has travelled from Brisbane due to limitations in refuelling infrastructure.
National Energy Resources Australia hydrogen general manager Leigh Kennedy took part in the road trip to Toowoomba and said Queensland was punching well above its weight when it comes to clean energy opportunities.
"Australia really has those competitive advantages, such as our expansive road transport networks, that lend themselves to heavy vehicle adoption and investment in refuelling infrastructure," Mr Kennedy said.
"We already have the required skills, expertise and existing infrastructure that the hydrogen industry can leverage and really take advantage of to make sure Australia is a leading player."
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise energy and new industries manager Reagan Parle said it was an exciting time to be involved in hydrogen, a future fuel.
"This road trip will be a moving demonstration of what Queenslanders can expect to see on the roads in a few years," Mr Parle said.
"Hydrogen is coming so it's important we drive awareness of the opportunities so local business can get involved and not miss out on this growth industry.
"This is the next chapter of our energy story in the Surat Basin as we bring hydrogen into our diverse energy mix."
Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio said the region had a rich tradition in transport innovation and congratulated TSBE and NERA for placing the Toowoomba on the map once again.
"This further demonstrates how Toowoomba and the Surat Basin can become key players in the production of hydrogen for industry," Cr Antonio said.
"We need to become more self-sufficient in our energy use - as well as lowering our emissions."
Read more:
Queensland's second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions is the transport sector, which has led the state government and private sector to trial and invest in low emissions power sources.
CS Energy is in the process of building a green hydrogen demonstration plant at Kogan Creek near Chinchilla for transport fuel.
In the state's north, Sun Metals zinc refinery plans to use five hydrogen-powered trucks to transport materials between the Port of Townsville and the refinery from December 2022.
Meanwhile electric buses are being implemented in Cairns and bioethanol buses are being trialled at Mackay.
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