ANU research on renewable hydrogen boosted with GPG grant

Hydrogen
13 October 2021

Research leading the way in Australia’s emerging hydrogen economy has received a boost, thanks to a grant from Canberra-based renewable energy company, Global Power Generation (GPG) Australia.                                                              

The A$1.25 million contribution supports applications for a number of projects led by researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions (ICEDS) research cluster on the Hydrogen Economy.

The projects aim to drive solutions to the challenges of transitioning to the Hydrogen Economy in the Canberra region, as well as nationally and internationally.

Prof Frank Jotzo, Head of Energy for ICEDS, said “ANU is uniquely placed to bring together world-class expertise in research on hydrogen from renewable energy. With contributions from industry partners such as GPG, ANU researchers are driving innovation that will accelerate a clean hydrogen economy in Australia and the world.”

Two projects which have already benefited from the GPG grant, and which are co-funded by Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage program, are tackling the challenge head-on.

Professor Yun Liu is leading a study to develop Liquid Organic Hydrogen Storage to ensure that vast quantities of hydrogen can be safely stored and transported. Associate Professor Yuerui (Larry) Lu is investigating ways to enable advanced  hydrogen storage systems, this time based on nano-bubbles in layered materials.

Other projects potentially co-funded by GPG are currently under consideration by the ARC.

Research and Business Development Manager (Energy) for ICEDS, Dr Igor Skryabin, says that the funding will also provide significant opportunities for local industry.

“As the founding member of the NERA Hydrogen Technology Cluster in Canberra, ANU is collaborating with Canberra-based businesses on the development of hydrogen technology. Funding from GPG will help to further enhance these relationships, supporting local expertise and positioning the ACT at the forefront of innovation in this key area of global energy transition,” he said.

The grant forms a part of GPG’s investment commitments under the ACT Government’s renewable energy reverse auctions, which has been a key strategy in its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045.

Director of projects for GPG, David Santo Tomas Menocal, said that the company was thrilled to be a part of this important initiative.

“We hope that the funding will support the pioneering efforts of ANU researchers in the area of the hydrogen economy, and help bring their research to fruition and commercialisation,” he said.

ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Shane Rattenbury, said, “I am very pleased to see innovative hydrogen projects and ongoing research at ANU being funded by the industry commitments in the ACT Government's renewables reverse auctions.”

“Canberra is meaningfully contributing to Australia’s emerging renewable hydrogen knowledge economy. We will continue to strengthen industry-research partnerships and collaborations in renewable energy innovation in the ACT,” he concluded.