PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The federal government has announced a A$23-million investment in renewable hydrogen projects in the Illawarra and Rockhampton.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) has announced a A$20.9-million investment into Wollongong-based start-up Hysata to demonstrate their next generation hydrogen electrolyser technology at commercial scale.

Queensland government-owned power company Stanwell Corporation is backing the project with A$3-million, as well as providing the site and facilities for the field deployment of the electrolyser.

Hysata will develop and test a 5 MW unit at their new manufacturing facility in Port Kembla. The electrolyser array will then be installed in situ for further testing and validation before it is relocated to Queensland.

Arena said this week that Hysata’s proprietary ‘capillary fed’ electrolyser cell eliminates almost all resistance in the electrolysis process. The company’s technology has been proven to produce hydrogen with 95% efficiency, well ahead of incumbent technologies that operate with efficiencies close to 75%.

“Hysata is a great example of Australian innovation leading the way in renewable energy. This electrolyser technology could be a game-changer for renewable hydrogen,” Arena CEO Darren Miller said.

“The demonstration at Stanwell’s site will be key to unlocking commercial demand for Hysata’s product by proving the technology works at scale.”

“We’re delighted to support game-changing, homegrown innovation that will power our future as a clean energy manufacturer and a renewable energy superpower,” Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said, noting that global demand for renewable hydrogen is growing rapidly and is projected to reach 500-million tonnes per year by 2050.