Sparc begins green hydrogen prototype testing

Sparc Hydrogen has begun prototype testing of its photocatalytic technology to split water into green hydrogen and oxygen at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle, NSW (pictured)

The company, a joint venture between Sparc Technologies, Fortescue Future Industries and the University of Adelaide, has mounted its prototype photocatalytic reactor unit on the CSIRO’s solar tower and begun testing.

Sparc Green Hydrogen does not use solar PV and/or wind farms, nor electrolysis as with conventional green hydrogen – only a photocatalyst and solar radiation.

The Adelaide company said calibration work on the associated heliostat field had also been completed and power, water and communications connected.

The tests will continue over an initial four-week period, backed by funding of $28,688 through the CSIRO Kick-start Program. A second round of tests could follow pending results.

Sparc said in a statement the key aims of the prototype testing were to:

• Advance the reactor design closer to a commercially deployable product
• Provide valuable data on reactor design
• And benchmark laboratory testing under simulated conditions with real world results.

Sparc Technologies is a graphene technology company commercialising graphene additives for coatings.

While Fortescue is backing the technology, it is also is also building one of the largest electrolyser factories in the world in Gladstone, Queensland.

Further reading:
Sparc Hydrogen to test water splitting with CSIRO
Sparc Hydrogen meets goals for catalytic production of hydrogen

Picture: CSIRO Energy Centre, Newcastle NSW