Solar-energy-driven modular floatable device for scalable green hydrogen production

April 19th, 2024

R&D Focus Areas:
Photochemical and photocatalytic processes

Lead Organisation:
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Partners:
University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales, Clayton Hydrogen Technology Cluster Ltd, Beyond H2 Pty Ltd, Advanced Carbon Engineering Pty Ltd, South East Water Corporation

Status:
Active

Start date:
March 2024

Completion date:
February 2029

Key contacts:
Tianyi Ma, Distinguished Professor, RMIT University – tianyi.ma@rmit.edu.au

Funding:
AUD$2 million – Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

Project total cost:
AUD$5.85 million

Project summary description (as published by ARENA):
The Project aims to fabricate a large-scale, flexible floating device containing an innovative dual chamber which uses only natural sunlight to simultaneously produce cost-effective green hydrogen, degrade organic species and purify wastewater.

The Project will be delivered in two stages, a core research stage (Stage 1), followed by a research commercialisation stage (Stage 2).

The core research stage will advance the current laboratory-scale photocatalytic system (TRL3) into a small-scale prototype all-solar-driven floating device for hydrogen-from-wastewater (TRL4)

The research commercialisation stage will transition the results and innovations from the Core Research Stage into prototype testing to satisfy the criterion for the technology readiness level and preparation of the background for further development. It will progress the small-scale prototype (TRL4) to a larger demonstration level device (TRL5).

The Project will achieve the following Outcomes:

  1. Accelerated commercialisation of renewable hydrogen through innovative Research and Development of catalytic membranes that combine the photocatalysis and photothermal effects to maximise the use of solar energy in hydrogen production technologies;
  2. Increase Australia’s academic research capacity in the hydrogen sector, and the facilitation of collaboration between research groups and industry;
  3. Improvement in the technology readiness and commercial readiness of hydrogen production technologies;
  4. New knowledge of temperature-dependence and in-built charge generation in promoting photocatalytic reactions;
  5. New knowledge of the synergistic effects of photocatalysis and solar thermal effects, to overcome the solar-accessibility limitations of conventional processes, to reduce the cost of renewable hydrogen production; and
  6. Development, deployment and commercialisation exploration of composite catalysts and membranes incorporated floatable devices suitable for real-world scenarios.

Related publications and key links:
https://arena.gov.au/projects/solar-energy-driven-modular-floatable-device-for-scalable-green-hydrogen-production-from-wastewater/

Higher degree studies supported:
To be advised.

 

April 2024