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HomeResearch at CurtinCurtin Institute for Energy TransitionOur researchTechnology and resourcesHydrogen

Hydrogen

We’re researching hydrogen production, conversion, storage, transport and use, as well as economic and policy options to expand the industry and increase the uptake of green, renewable hydrogen.

Green hydrogen offers a potential solution to questions of future energy security and sustainability, but it is expensive to produce and requires innovative storage solutions. Our researchers are conducting multidisciplinary research into the future of hydrogen and how it could be the key to clean, reliable energy for a net zero world.

Overview

Hydrogen Storage Research Group

Hydrogen Storage Research Group

The Hydrogen Storage Research Group (HSRG) undertakes experimental research into a vast array of energy storage systems.
Focus areas include hydrogen storage materials for export, transport, or stationary energy storage; thermal batteries using thermochemical energy storage and solid-state electrochemical batteries

The Future of… Green Hydrogen

The Future of… Green Hydrogen

Is green hydrogen the key to a carbon-free energy future?
In this episode of Curtin’s podcast, The Future of…, Jessica is joined by Professor Craig Buckley from Curtin University’s Hydrogen Storage Research Group to discuss the future of green hydrogen and how he and his team are making it a viable energy solution.

Professor Mark Paskevicius

Professor Mark Paskevicius

CIET Hydrogen Theme Lead
Professor Mark Paskevicius leads CIET’s Hydrogen theme, and his research is focused on the storage of renewable energy. He is dedicated to developing new materials for solid-state hydrogen storage to store energy for automotive, stationary and export applications. He is also leading research into new solid-state ion conductors for battery applications, focusing on boron-rich materials.

Key projects

Professor Craig Buckley, Professor Mark Paskevicius, Dr Peter O Conghaile, Dr Terry Humphries, Professor Peta Ashworth, Velox Energy Materials

Hydrogen export using a powder

A Curtin team has developed a chemical process and a catalyst that enables sodium borohydride to be cost-effectively recycled from sodium metaborate. Their success completes a key step in the viability of the compound sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a green, renewable energy export.  
Sodium borohydride is safer and more cost-effective than competing methods of hydrogen export such as liquid hydrogen or ammonia. As a powder, it can be added to water to release hydrogen, and the sodium metaborate by-product can then be reprocessed via the team’s new chemical process. The innovation will be of interest to Australian energy exporters and to Asian and European energy importers. The Curtin team is collaborating with the Australian company Kotai Energy, which aims to export green hydrogen to Japan​. 

One-page summary Video overview
Professor Zongping Shao, Jiayi Tang

Green hydrogen from untreated water

Curtin researchers have created a new water electrolysis method that employs unpurified water sources, including sea water.  The two existing methods for extracting hydrogen from water have their limitations: one process requires ultrapure water and an expensive catalyst, the other requires significantly higher energy inputs for the same level of hydrogen production.
Their approach uses an alternative catalyst that costs just one tenth of existing methods, calculated to offer up to a 38% cost saving in hydrogen production. This exciting development could be a cost effective, plentiful source of hydrogen that contributes to the achievement of global zero carbon goals.

Video overview
Professor Helen Cabalu, HILT CRC

Unlocking investment in energy infrastructure for net-zero industrial hubs

This project aims to identify optimal and economically efficient energy supply options – including hydrogen, electricity and natural gas – for the industrial hubs that will be needed for Australia to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Heavy industry – particularly in the iron and steel, alumina and cement sectors – has identified affordable clean energy as a key priority for decarbonisation.
This project will provide clear, data-driven estimates of energy costs to inform government policy and heavy industry on energy hub approaches, which require integrated energy infrastructure and services to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable energy solutions.

One-page summary Project overview