Overview
  • Category

    Hydrogen energy

In early 2024 ARENA awarded $59.1million under the latest round of the Transformative Research Accelerating Commercialisation (TRAC) program to support research and development (R&D) and commercialisation activities covering renewable hydrogen and low emissions iron & steel. Among 21 successful projects, 13 involve research on the production, storage and transport of renewable hydrogen; and 8 focus on low emissions iron and steel technologies using Australian iron ore. Each of these projects bring together some of the brightest minds and most innovative commercial partners in Australia to find new solutions to critical barriers. The projects start with a 3-year Research and Development Phase before a stage-gate process to assess if the results are worth proceeding with. If they are, then a 2-year Commercialisation Phase follows in order to accelerate the process of getting good ideas to market in order to make an impact on the energy transition as soon as possible.  Read more about the program design here for Hydrogen, and here for Iron and Steel,  and follow the links below to each of the 21 project pages for more information.

Awarded projects

Australian National UniversityAccelerating the Commercialisation of the Direct Solar-to-Hydrogen Technology
University of SydneyAdvanced Manufacturing Alkaline Electrolyser Cell-Stacks
University of MelbourneMega-Scale Liquid H2 Storage
University of NSWMultiphase Electrolysers for Renewable Ammonia Production
Royal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyModular Floatable Device for Scalable Green Hydrogen Production
Australian National UniversityStorage with Ground-source Energy Utilisation
CSIROLow Temperature Agglomeration Process for Australian Iron Ores
Curtin UniversityHydrogen Export Using a Powder Project 
Cavendish Renewable Technology Pty LtdEfficient, scalable and modular ammonia to hydrogen/electricity conversion system development and demonstration 
Hysata Pty LtdHigh Temperature, Ultra-high Efficiency Capillary-fed Electrolysis Project
MIH2 Pty LtdScale Up and Demonstration of Next Generation CSIRO Axial Flow Electrolyser for Green Hydrogen Production
Macquarie UniversityUpcycling of Steelmaking Slag for Material Reuse Project 
MIH2 Pty LtdLow Temperature Direct Electrochemical Reduction for Zero Emissions Iron Project 
University of NSWBlast Furnace Innovations: Integrating New Injections and Burdens for Sustainable, Low-Carbon Ironmaking Project
HILT CRCUpgrading Iron Ore for DRI Production Using Seawater Reverse Osmosis Brines Project
Australian National UniversityDe-risking large-scale Australian fine-ore hydrogen ironmaking
Monash UniversityLowering the cost of proton exchange water electrolysis systems
Future Energy CRCDevelopment and demonstration of safe, efficient hydrogen liquefaction through optimised mixed refrigerants and plant design
University of WollongongAustralian Pilbara Iron Ores in an Electric Smelting Furnace Process
University of NewcastleElectric Smelting of Australian Hematite-Goethite DRI
Jupiter Ionics Pty LtdCapital Cost reduction in electrochemical ammonia synthesis

Program Launch Event

The 2023 Hydrogen and Iron&Steel round of the TRAC program was launched in an event in Sydney on 6th June 2024.  Around 50 representatives from the project teams attended, in addition to a range of external stakeholders including investors and industry organisations.  A recording of the event can be viewed here, and the presentation slides found here and as follows:

  • Introduction by Dr Lisa Randone, ARENA Knowledge Sharing Manager
  • Welcome to Country by Aunty Joan Bell
  • Opening remarks by Zoe von Batenburg, ARENA’s Chief Investment Officer
  • From R&D to commercialisation – Lessons Learned by Hysata, Tom Campey – Chief Product Officer
  • Overview of the TRAC round and successful projects – Tanya Hodgson, ARENA Business Development and Transactions Director

After the plenary launch with external stakeholders, closed-door roundtable sessions were held separately for the Hydrogen and Iron&Steel streams.  These consisted of each project presenting their Research Poster (linked on their project webpages) followed by questions and discussion with the other projects.  Participants reported this was an effective chance to network with peers, identify opportunities for collaboration and discuss solutions to common issues.

Last updated 21 June 2024
Last updated
21 June 2024
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