Hysata – High-Efficiency ‘Capillary-fed’ Electrolyser Pilot Project

Summary

Need

Hysata’s advanced electrolyser unlocks the potential of green hydrogen, a critical decarbonisation vector for reaching net-zero emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.

Currently, our hydrogen industry is highly dependent on ‘grey’ hydrogen, which comes from carbon-heavy fossil fuels and is used in manufacturing fertilisers, methanol, and refining, making a significant contribution to global emissions. As we move towards a net-zero emissions future, it is critical that we shift from ‘grey’ hydrogen to more sustainable green hydrogen and expand its use into new industries like steel production and heavy transport. Green hydrogen, produced through the process of electrolysis using renewable electricity, could play a major role in achieving our emissions reduction targets in a net-zero scenario. To meet the anticipated demand for green hydrogen, we’ll need to significantly ramp up electrolyser production and kick off large-scale projects. This shift to green hydrogen represents a major opportunity for Australia, which has abundant renewable energy resources to power electrolysis.

Hysata has developed a new, highly efficient electrolyser that promises to transform the economics of green hydrogen production. The electrolyser, known as a ‘capillary-fed electrolyser’ (or CFE) improves the efficiency from 75 per cent for existing commercial electrolysers, to 95 per cent. The electrolyser is also coupled with a simplified balance of plant that further reduces costs.

Action

The Project will develop, manufacture and demonstrate a modular 200 kW stack and balance of plant, which can be combined to build MW/GW electrolysers.

The 200 kW demonstrator stack and balance of plant will be trialled for six months with a commercial partner and subsequently shipped to Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany for a further six-month trial to independently verify the performance of the electrolyser.

Once tested and verified, the intent is to replicate the 200 kW capillary-fed water electrolyser and balance of plant as a module for larger deployment on the pathway to commercialisation.

Outcome

The electrolyser trial with a commercial partner and FZ Germany represents a pivotal stage in the development and commercialisation of Hysata’s 200 kW modular system. This project will provide crucial validation of the technology in both a practical, real-world application and a rigorous, research-intensive setting.

In the German trial, the demonstrator electrolyser will be adapted to conform with German hydrogen safety codes, providing an opportunity to independently verify the results achieved in the commercial partner demonstration. This will establish the technology’s credibility in an internationally respected and rigorous environment.

Conducting tests in Australia and Germany enhances the broader credibility of the technology, proving its adaptability and efficiency in diverse environments. These trials will underpin the bankability of the technology, demonstrating its robustness and reliability to potential investors and clients. This project is not just a trial, but a crucial step towards commercialising the 200 kW modular system to deliver GW scale electrolysers in both domestic and international markets.