Australian hydrogen technology company Hysata announced that its cutting-edge hydrogen electrolyser technology has been recognized on the worldwide scale with groundbreaking research published in the renowned, peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Communications.
The study showed that Hysata’s ‘capillary-fed electrolysis cell’ can produce green hydrogen from water at a cell energy efficiency of 98%.
This figure far exceeds the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) 2050 target and is significantly better than existing electrolyser technologies, resulting in a hydrogen production cost of less than A$2/kg (US$1.50/kg).
Green hydrogen is critical for “cleaning” hard-to-decarbonize industries such as steel, heavy transportation, and chemicals. Green hydrogen demand is expected to expand to 500-800 million tonnes per year by 2050 to meet demand in these sectors, generating a new multi-trillion-dollar economy, according to the Energy Transitions Commission.
However, because of the low efficiency of present electrolysers, green hydrogen is too expensive to compete with fossil fuels. The ultra-high efficiency electrolyser developed by Hysata will make green hydrogen competitive years sooner than previously thought, accelerating global decarbonisation and enhancing energy security.
Hysata is now commercializing the technology, which was conceived by scientists at the University of Wollongong and is backed by IP Group and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
CEO Paul Barrett said the company is on a clear pathway to reach “gigawatt scale hydrogen production capacity by 2025”.
“The global momentum towards net zero is creating a massive opportunity for ultra-high efficiency electrolyser. Economics will ultimately determine which technologies win, and with our world-beating efficiency, Hysata is well placed to lead in this major new global market,” Mr Barrett said.
“Our electrolyser will deliver the world’s lowest hydrogen cost, save hydrogen producers billions of dollars in electricity costs, and enable green hydrogen to outcompete fossil fuel-derived hydrogen.
“Our technology will enable hydrogen production of below US$1.50/kg per kilogram by the mid-2020s, meeting Australian and global cost targets much earlier than generally expected. This is critical to making green hydrogen commercially viable and decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors.
“Hysata has some of Australia’s brightest minds working together to position Australia as a leading manufacturer and exporter of electrolysers, with plans underway to build a pilot electrolyser manufacturing plant and employ dozens of new highly skilled specialists in 2022.
According to Gerry Swiegers, Chief Technology Officer at Hysata, the overall design of the Hysata electrolyser system is simpler than existing technologies.
“Electrolysers have been around for 200 years, however the large amounts of renewable electricity required to produce green hydrogen and the overall cost of electrolysers today has prevented large-scale uptake of green hydrogen,” Mr Swiegers explained.
“Hysata’s overall electrolyser system has been designed for ease of manufacturing, scaling and installation, delivering 95 percent overall system efficiency, equivalent to 41.5 kWh/kg, compared to 75 percent or less for existing electrolyser technologies. For hydrogen producers, this will significantly reduce both the capital and operational costs to produce green hydrogen.
“Hysata is proud to be at the forefront of this technology innovation and introducing an entirely new category of electrolyser that is as monumental as the shift from the internal combustion engine to electric motors,” Swiegers concluded.
You can read the full Nature Communications paper here.
