- Australia and Germany have collaborated to boost research into green hydrogen production with a A$110 million (US$77.8 million) investment in four projects.
- Australian renewables developer Edify Energy will receive A$20.74 million for the development.
Australia and Germany have collaborated to boost research into green hydrogen production with a A$110 million (US$77.8 million) investment in four projects. The funding is part of the German–Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator (HyGATE) launched in March 2022 and will be aimed at four projects based in Australia. Germany brings its expertise into the technology and will require to import a significant part of the production from outside the European Union, as it targets to import 10 million tonnes by 2030, while Australia is positioning itself as a leader in green hydrogen production and export.
Australian renewables developer Edify Energy will receive A$20.74 million for the development, construction and operation of a 17.5MW electrolyser by energy company Siemens Energy and a 21MW solar PV plant to produce green hydrogen for the processing of minerals and transport applications. Electrolyser manufacturer Hysata will receive A$8.98 million of the funding to work with Fraunhofer IPT to develop a ‘capillary-fed’ electrolyser which Hysata claimed last year could produce green hydrogen at the cost of US$1.5/kg by the mid-2020s.
Energy supplier ATCO Australia will receive A$800,000 of the funding. It will participate with Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films for a feasibility study into the deployment of a 1GW electrolyser plant that would produce 800,000 kilos of ammonia per year in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. Finally, Vast Solar and Fichtner will receive funding of A$19.48 million to develop concentrated solar power (CSP). This involves developing a 10MW electrolyser to produce green hydrogen for a methanol plant using CSP. Also, Chris Bowen, Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, said: “Collaboration with Germany will help grow Australia’s hydrogen export market and support our nation’s vision of becoming a renewable energy superpower.”