Methane-to-turquoise hydrogen catalyst project awarded $492,526 grant from AEA

A team including energy technology company 1414 Degrees has been awarded an Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite grant of $492,526 for a project progressing a proprietary hydrogen reactor.

According to a statement to the ASX-listed company on Tuesday, the grant is for catalyst development concerning its SiPHyR (Storage integrated Pyrolytic Hydrogen Reactor) technology, and involves University of Adelaide and University of Queensland. 

SiPHyR creates “low-cost turquoise hydrogen and valuable solid carbon co-products” from methane pyrolysis. It combines 1414 Degrees’ silicon-based thermal energy storage bricks (pictured) with a “dual column bubble reactor” invented at the University of Adelaide.

The AEA grant covers SiPHyR’s “Catalytic Hydrogen Production via Pyrolysis” (CHyPP), and the project aims to “accelerate development of second-generation catalysts for the SiPHyR process, designed to increase hydrogen yields and enable carbon co-products to be tailored to meet specific market demands.”

Executive Chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty said: “This grant highlights the Government’s recognition of our SiPHyR technology’s potential to deliver a commercially viable, low-emissions hydrogen solution for Australian industry. 

“By combining innovative catalyst research with our proven silicon-based energy storage, SiPHyR can reduce emissions from existing gas networks while creating valuable carbon-based materials for new markets. We look forward to working with our partners to advance this important technology.” 

Projects supported through Ignite grants are at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 – 5.

Development of SiPHyR previously attracted a $2.5 million Cooperative Research Centres Project grant (awarded in February last year.) This covered a three-year project including University of Adelaide, Woodside, Vulcan Steel, and RMIT University.

Picture: a SiBrick energy storage brick (credit 1414 Degrees)

Further reading

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1414 Degrees confident of its SiBox energy storage technology

1414 Degrees acquires new hydrogen technology

1414 Degrees demonstrates storage and discharge of industrial process heat

1414 Degrees commissions molten silicon energy storage system

1414 and team make SiPHyR project official

Australian universities receive $59m in AEA Ignite grants for research