Toyota Australia is venturing into the stationary hydrogen fuel cell power generator market, investing $3.27 million to assemble and distribute EODev’s GEH2 generators from its Melbourne facility. This partnership highlights Toyota’s commitment to exploring hydrogen technology beyond automotive applications.
The Altona plant, already equipped with a hydrogen production and refueling station, will assemble the generators starting in early 2024. Toyota will distribute both locally assembled and fully built EODev GEH2 generators in Australia through Blue Diamond Machinery and export them to New Zealand.
While Toyota’s focus on hydrogen-fueled cars has been met with mixed success, the company remains committed to hydrogen as a key element in its carbon neutrality strategy. The pivot to stationary power generators could offer a new avenue for utilizing hydrogen technology.
EODev CEO Jérémie Lagarrigue sees a “fast-growing potential” for the GEH2 generator in Australia, ranging from powering mining and construction sites to supporting battery EV charging stations.
Meanwhile, Telstra, an Australian telecommunications giant, is also exploring hydrogen fuel cell generators, backed by funding from the Victorian state government. The company is piloting a 10kW renewable hydrogen generator at five regional locations to provide backup power during outages, demonstrating hydrogen’s potential as a zero-emissions alternative to diesel.
These developments signal growing interest in hydrogen fuel cell technology beyond transportation, showcasing its potential to contribute to a cleaner and more resilient energy landscape.
Sparc Hydrogen: Harnessing Sunlight for Next-Gen Green Hydrogen Production
South Australia-based Sparc Hydrogen is set to accelerate the development of its innovative photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) technology, thanks to a significant funding boost from the Australian government. This technology has the potential to revolutionize green hydrogen production by utilizing concentrated solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, offering a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative to conventional electrolysis methods.
The company’s PWS approach utilizes the entire solar spectrum, along with concentrated solar radiation, to enhance reaction efficiencies. This innovative technique reduces the amount of photocatalyst material required, making the process more cost-effective and scalable.
Sparc Hydrogen has received $470,511 under the Australian government’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) grant program. This funding will support the testing of a prototype PWS reactor unit already installed at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales.
Stephen Hunt, Executive Chairman of Sparc Technologies, highlights the game-changing potential of this technology, stating that the funding will enable Sparc Hydrogen to accelerate laboratory-based testing and on-sun prototyping at the CSIRO.
Sparc Hydrogen’s PWS technology has the potential to deliver a competitive advantage over electrolysis-based green hydrogen production. The company emphasizes the lower infrastructure requirements and energy use of its process, making it more flexible and scalable.
Initial testing at the CSIRO facility has demonstrated promising results, with the reactor and balance of plant performing well at the planned upper limits of solar concentration and temperatures. Sparc Hydrogen is committed to advancing its technology towards commercialization, aiming to make solar-powered green hydrogen a viable and sustainable energy solution for the future.
The company’s efforts align with Australia’s broader goals of becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production. This technology has the potential to transform the energy landscape, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
