First Ever Australian H2GP to be held on Friday

Gladstone in regional Queensland is set to host Australia’s inaugural Horizon Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP), a school-based science and engineering program that seeks to nurture the talent of the world’s future renewable energy leaders.

The four-hour race will be held at the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre on Friday, 21 April from 10.30 am and will be supported by several industry and government partners.

The event, run by Horizon Educational, will be the culmination of a six-month long STEM education program in which students work with teammates and industry mentors to design, engineer and construct their very own hydrogen-powered cars.  

Next week’s H2GP will see 20 teams from across Australia’s East Coast – including 12 from Central Queensland – put their renewable energy engineering skills to the test, racing their self-built 1:10-scale hydrogen-powered cars over a 4-hour ‘endurance race’.

The winner of the 21 April race will advance to the Horizon Hydrogen Grand Prix World Final, to be held in September.

Kamil Jelinek, CEO of Horizon Educational explained that bringing the Hydrogen Grand Prix to Australia for the first time ever will boost much-needed renewable energy engineering skills in the region’s future workforce.

“While students design, engineer and construct their 1:10-scale hydrogen-powered cars today, tomorrow they’ll be fuelling innovation, creating the electrolysers, solar panels and wind turbines that will power Australia for decades to come,” he said.  

Minister for Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water, and Member for Gladstone, Glenn Butcher said the H2GP program was an innovative way to introduce students to future careers available in the renewables sector and highlight the knowledge and skills that will be needed.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing this internationally renowned program to Australia, and to be hosting it in Gladstone,” Mr Butcher said.

“Through the program, students have designed and built hydrogen-powered remote-controlled cars. As well as having fun through competing against other teams to race their cars, they have also learnt valuable lessons about environmental sustainability, renewable energy, alternative fuels and future technology.“ Programs such as H2GP inspire young people to pursue exciting careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“STEM careers will make up many of Queensland’s future jobs, supporting better services and great lifestyles in the years to come."

Mr Butcher also said the recently announced Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan highlighted the government’s commitment to providing the skills needed for Queensland’s clean energy future.

“Gladstone is well on the way to becoming a clean energy powerhouse, and kids we can nurture here, into home-grown hydrogen experts is what bringing this program to Central Queensland is all about,” said Mr Butcher.

CQUniversity’s Associate Vice-President for the Wide Bay and Gladstone Regions, Mr Luke Sinclair said that CQUniversity was proud to support the delivery of the event.

“Central Queensland is poised to become a regional leader when it comes to clean energy production and innovation, and we are extremely proud to be engaging a new generation in the opportunities that are aligned with this.

“Students who participate in this event will get to explore the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Mr Sinclair.

The Australian Hydrogen Grand Prix was made possible thanks to support from the Queensland Government, Stanwell, CQUniversity, the Gladstone Regional Council and thirteen other industry and community sponsors.