Australia must immediately prepare for a hydrogen revolution to win the global race to secure lucrative Asian export contracts, the Morrison government says as it pledges to kickstart the burgeoning industry.

The government is on Friday due to open public feedback on a national hydrogen strategy, which will take a “technology-neutral” approach that does not favour hydrogen produced from either renewables or fossil fuels.

The move follows Labor’s pledge last month to position Australia as a global leader in the technology, which promises to radically cut global carbon emissions by replacing natural gas, coal, petrol and diesel.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and can be harnessed as a low-emissions energy. Pictured, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures an expanding remnant of a star's supernova explosion. The orange filaments are star remnants consisting mostly of hydrogen. Credit:Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It can be produced with no emissions when renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, or from coal or gas using technology that captures and stores carbon.