Currently, the transportation and storage of hydrogen (H2) is complex and relatively expensive, making export commercially challenging, particularly for fairly small H2 markets like Australia.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s ‘innovation catalyst’, hopes to fill this gap in the global energy technology chain, to supply fuel cell vehicles with low-emissions H2 sourced from Australia.
The two-year project recently received $1.7m from the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF), which will be matched by CSIRO. The research has also been welcomed by industry and is supported by BOC, Hyundai, Toyota and Renewable Hydrogen Pty Ltd.
CSIRO has applied its existing expertise in separating pure H2 from mixed gas streams, and has invented ‘membrane reactor technology’. This comes in the form of a modular unit that can be used at, or near, a refueling station. The membrane will allow H2 to be transported in the form of ammonia (which is already being traded globally), and then reconverted back to H2 at the point of use. The thin metal membrane allows H2 to pass, while blocking all other gases.
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