the entire global helium market is worth around US$2b pa with...

the entire global helium market is worth around US$2b pa with almost no upside and it’s been around a while. It’s not a fuel. It’s relative weight is neither here nor there. The still in it’s mummy’s tummy global hydrogen market is already thought to be 100 times that when it eventually pops out that, with unlimited potential, but I imagine trillions if it’s promise is ever fulfilled - it can basically replace the carbon fuels the whole planet currently runs on. A$1/kg is the production cost of natural hydrogen, not the price you sell it for. This compares to 5-20x higher for other methods of conjuring up hydrogen you don’t find out in the ground from grey to green & blue all of which require more energy input than you get out, entirely defeating their purpose no matter what Twiggy Forrest has wet dreams about. There is no market price for hydrogen yet because there is no market, but I’ve read figures suggesting A$5/kg would be necessary for a viable export market, but take that with a pinch of salt, I don’t think anyone really knows yet.