Hadean’s technology targets 30% lower electricity use for steelmaking.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will provide $10.42m (AU$15m) to Hadean Energy to pilot an Australian-developed hydrogen technology.
The technology could use 30% less electricity than conventional electrolysers, potentially lowering hydrogen production costs for steelmaking.
The $20.83m (AU$30m) project will enable the company to build and operate a pilot hydrogen plant in Victoria, subject to final deployment arrangements and approvals.
The hydrogen produced by the plant will be used at another industrial facility for steel manufacturing, testing whether the technology can support lower-emissions steelmaking.
Green hydrogen is expected to play an important role in reducing emissions from industries that are difficult to electrify, including green iron and steel and aviation. However, high production costs remain a major barrier to wider industrial uptake.
“Green hydrogen has significant potential to reduce emissions from industries that are difficult to electrify, but the cost of production remains a major barrier,” said ARENA CEO Darren Miller.
The pilot plant is expected to produce up to seven kilogrammes of hydrogen per hour and supply around 85% of the hydrogen needed for an annealing process in steel manufacturing.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation originally developed the technology over eight years, with previous support from ARENA.
The latest funding will help Hadean progress the technology towards commercial readiness whilst building local expertise, supply chains, and advanced manufacturing capability.
“This pilot will demonstrate how Hadean’s technology performs in a real-world industrial environment and provide the evidence needed to assess its commercial potential,” Miller said.
The technology could also be used in the future to produce low-emissions synthetic fuels, potentially reducing emissions in sectors dependent on energy-dense fuels.
(US$1 = AU$1.44)
