Sparc Hydrogen to test water splitting with CSIRO

Innovative energy technology developer Sparc Hydrogen is to test its catalyst process for producing green hydrogen at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Sparc Hydrogen, a joint venture between Sparc Technologies, Fortescue Future Industries and the University of Adelaide, will conduct on sun testing of its photocatalytic water splitting reactor following an agreement with the national science body.

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

Concentrated solar radiation will be used for the tests using a prototype reactor, which will provide valuable information for ongoing R&D and design of a pilot plant.

Sparc Technologies Executive Chairman Stephen Hunt said the tests would be a world-leading demonstration off photocatalytic water splitting.

Hunt said: “Completion of this test work will be a significant milestone, not only for Sparc Hydrogen, but more widely for the advancement of photocatalytic water splitting, a next generation green hydrogen production technology which does not require capital intensive electrolysers nor solar or wind farms.”

The tests will be conducted over an initial four-week period in Q3 2023, backed by funding of $28,688 through the CSIRO Kick-start Program. A second round of tests would be considered pending results.

Sparc said design of a prototype reactor was complete and construction had commenced.

Further reading:
Browse @AuManufacturing’s coverage of Sparc Hydrogen here.

Picture: CSIRO Energy Centre, Newcastle