GREEN HYDROGEN AUSTRALIAN HYDROGEN ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER LAVO in collaboration with UNSW has
Up to $1.75m is being invested in 13
HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY CLUSTERS
across all states and territories in a bid to accelerate a globally competitive hydrogen industry and unlock as much as $26 billion in exports. Operating as a virtual network the development spearheaded by National Energy Resources Australia will focus on the hydrogen supply chain, reduce overlaps and identify gaps in the development, deployment, and commercialisation of new hydrogen focused technologies. The national cluster will effectively establish a global identity and a recognised brand for Australian hydrogen technology and expertise. The Smart Energy Council is partnering with Evoenergy and the Australian National University on the establishment of the ACT Renewable Hydrogen Cluster. The move complements the SEC’s development of the Zero Carbon Certification Scheme in conjunction with the German Energy Agency, dena (see previous page) for renewable hydrogen, renewable ammonia and renewable metals. John Grimes emphasised the importance of ramping up Australia’s domestic industry to become a global hydrogen competitor and said the ACT which is powered 100 per cent renewable energy is firmly positioned to be a knowledge hub and international catalyst for the development and deployment of renewable hydrogen across Australia.
developed a world’s first commercially available line of hydrogen-powered domestic products, including a barbecue, a bicycle and a unit that creates and stores hydrogen power. The LAVO battery, which is about the size of a large fridge, can be hooked up to an existing array of solar panels. The internal electrolysers use the power to convert water into oxygen and hydrogen which is stored in a patented hydride in canisters inside the unit for use as needed. LAVO chief executive Alan Yu says the unit can store three times as much power as the largest popular commercially available wall-mounted batteries, allowing it to power the average household for two to three days on a single charge. Unlike lithium batteries, it can also constantly recharge itself rather than waiting until it has been fully discharged. He said the system, which costs around $34,000, has a lifespan around three times longer than current lithium batteries and should last users around 30 years.
Energy storage and clean fuel company ITM POWER has received a purchase order from Optimal for the provision of its 0.7MW ‘HGas’ electrolyser system for use in a hydrogen microgrid project in Tasmania, supported by the federal government’s Blue Economy CRC program. The first deployment with Optimal would be a platform for training through ITM Power’s ‘Hydrogen Academy’. ITM Power is the name behind the 220kW electrolyser producing up to 2400 kilograms of renewable hydrogen monthly from renewable energy at the BOC Bulwer Island gas facility in Brisbane that features a 100kW solar array. PHOTO COURTESY BLUE ECONOMY CRC
A weather monitoring system has been installed at INFINITE
ENERGY’S (IBE) ARROWSMITH GREEN HYDROGEN PROJECT near Perth planned for launch by late 2022.
BLUE
IBE can now track live solar and wind data and finding will help determine final optimal design of wind turbines and solar panels for
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the anticipated 25 tonnes daily of zero carbon green hydrogen. The plant may be scaled up in future to fulfil the prospect of export of liquid hydrogen to Asia Pacific. Positive spin-offs include significant opportunities for jobs, energy security and a reduction in state carbon emissions.
