Wollongong-based Hysata has secured up to $49 million ($34.9 million) in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to establish a commercial-scale electrolyser manufacturing line at its headquarters on the New South Wales South Coast.
Spun out of the University of Wollongong, Hysata has developed capillary-fed electrolyser technology designed to improve the efficiency of hydrogen production, helping reduce the cost of renewable hydrogen for hard-to-abate industries such as steelmaking, fertiliser production and heavy transport.
The company said its technology requires 41.5 kWh of electricity to produce 1 kilogram of green hydrogen, which translates to 95% efficiency, about 20% above incumbent technologies.
Image: Hysata
Hysata is now advancing the commercialisation of the technology. The Port Kembla facility will initially be capable of manufacturing up to 50 MW of Hysata’s capillary-fed electrolysers per annum, with the production line designed to scale to 200 MW a year through 24-hour operations as customer demand grows.
The 8,500 square metre site will also manufacture core electrolyser components locally, such as membranes, anodes, and cathodes.
The project is also expected to support a regional clean technology manufacturing ecosystem with Hysata forecast to spend about $20 to $30 million with Australian suppliers each year.
The $98 million project is being funded through ARENA’s Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund, with Hysata matching the $49 million federal government grant through private capital.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said the project will support government plans to capture more value from the energy transition.
“This project will help move Australian innovation from the lab into large-scale manufacturing, creating skilled jobs while strengthening Australia’s capability to produce critical clean energy technologies locally,” he said.
“By supporting advanced manufacturing of electrolysers here in Australia, we’re helping build the industries that can underpin a future renewable hydrogen sector and create long-term economic opportunities.”
The launch of the project comes after Hysata earlier this year secured its first commercial order for a “megawatt-scale” system with a customer Chief Executive Officer Paul Barrett described only as “a global heavy-industry leader.”
The company has also signed an agreement with Saudi power utility ACWA Power to deliver commercial scale demonstrations and holds joint development agreements with Korea-headquartered Posco Holdings.
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