Metal hydride pilot for safe, scalable hydrogen storage
Hydrogen production powered by renewables is likely to be intermittent, while processes using hydrogen often require a steady supply. The transition to renewables-based hydrogen will lead to an increased demand for buffering solutions to smooth the supply of hydrogen downstream.
Hydrilyte® is a novel hydrogen storage technology developed in Australia that involves a metal hydride powder suspended in mineral oil. Suspension in oil acts to insulate the hydride from potential reactants, enabling storage under ambient conditions. Being an inert liquid, Hydrilyte® can be stored and transported using existing liquid fuels infrastructure, such as oil tanks, fuel trucks and crude carriers.
Hydrilyte® is one of a suite of emerging technologies that aim to improve the cost competitiveness of the hydrogen supply chain. A general impact of low-cost, scalable buffering is a reduced need to over-scale renewables-based hydrogen production, hence reducing the cost of production.
Carbon 280 is building a AUD$14 million Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6) Hydrilyte® Technology Pilot south of Perth. The pilot will benchmark the reaction rates, energy requirements, stability and purity levels for the Hydrilyte® hydrogen storage process at an industrially relevant scale. Amongst other things, it will provide an empirical levelised cost of hydrogen storage (LCOHS) and transport for use by hydrogen project developers.
The Hydrilyte® laboratory, which began operations in January 2025, is undertaking materials science and engineering research tasks aimed at optimising Hydrilyte’s® performance characteristics, and which can be used to develop optimised designs for follow-on commercial demonstrations.
Hydrilyte® reactor being installed in the HTP (High Temperature and Pressure) skid.
Case study date: May 2025
HyResearch record: Hydrilyte® Technology Pilot – HyResearch