The Australia government has been urged to forget about trying to match the US on green hydrogen opportunities and instead focus on the country’s biggest opportunity – to use its mineral wealth and green electricity to clean up the supply chain for solar modules, wind turbines and battery storage.

The call has come from Australian owned Quinbrook Infrastructure, a multi-billion investor that is based in the UK but conducts most of its in the US, where it is ranked as the biggest solar farm developer.

CEO and co-founder David Scaysbrook says it would be “fiscally insane” for Australia to try and match the investment and production tax credits offered by the US Inflation Reduction Act.

He pointed to the recent decision by the likes of Fortescue, Woodside and others to prioritise green hydrogen project investments in the US, rather than Australia, and says rather than trying to match the US economic power, Australia should focus instead on its critical mineral opportunities.