CSIRO launches green hydrogen tech startup

CSIRO and corporate advisor RFC Ambrian have co-founded Hadean Energy to commercialise novel technology that is claimed to produce hydrogen with 30 per cent less electricity than traditional methods.

CSIRO will trial the technology at BlueScope Steel’s Port Kembla Steelworks to demonstrate the equipment at pilot scale in an industrial environment.

CSIRO’s tubular solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) technology efficiently produces hydrogen by electrolysing water using a combination of heat and electricity and promises to significantly reduce hydrogen production costs and industry emissions through process efficiencies.

The lead scientist on hydrogen research at CSIRO Dr Sarb Giddey said: “CSIRO’s SOE technology has the potential to produce hydrogen at a higher efficiency and lower cost for integration with industrial processes.

“It allows industrial waste heat to be integrated back into the industrial processes, which decreases the electrical energy required to produce hydrogen or syn-gas by up to 30 per cent.

“It’s great news for industry, because integrating the hydrogen product back into industrial processes onsite also eliminates storage and transport costs while drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels in the industrial process.”

Hadean Energy will have exclusive rights over CSIRO’s SOE technology, with the trial with BlueScope set to begin in April 2024.

BlueScope Chief Executive Australian Steel Products Tania Archibald said BlueScope supported the trial project as it aligns with the company’s sustainability objectives.

She said: “SOE has the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of hydrogen for low emissions steelmaking. The improved efficiency of SOE systems reduces energy consumption and reduces the electrical infrastructure required by electrolysers.”

RFC Ambrian has previously partnered with CSIRO to co-found other successful ventures including Chrysos Corporation, Nextore, and MRead.

Picture: CSIRO/Left to right: Sarb Giddey (CSIRO), Gurpreet Kaur (CSIRO) and Raj Ratnaraj (Hadean Energy) with the SOE tubes.