Hydrogen ‘game-changer’ technology trialled in UK

Siemens, FFI and GeoPura are developing the ammonia cracking prototype to deliver 200 kilograms of hydrogen a day, enough to power 5 to 10 hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses.

“This innovative green ammonia cracker could be a game-changer for scaling up the green hydrogen industry – an important step to drive the energy transition,” Mr Scrimshaw said.

Hydrogen has long been championed as a low-emissions fuel source, but it has a low density, making it notoriously difficult to transport and store in tanks and other existing fuel infrastructure.

The MMT or cracker process allows green hydrogen to be extracted from ammonia and delivered at the point of use, with no carbon dioxide emissions.

The membrane technology filters the hydrogen while blocking other gases, allowing it to be used as a fuel and converted as needed, at the time of refuelling.

The hydrogen extracted will be of high quality which would make it suitable for fuel cell use.

The benefit is that the conversion can take place at point of use so the hydrogen can be transported and stored as ammonia. Applications could include transport and emergency/back-up power.

FFI chief executive Mark Hutchinson said research and technology like the cracker system would be the key to the success of green hydrogen globally.

”This is an Australian-made technology being deployed globally, and a great example of Australia’s role in the green energy transition,” he said.

“Ammonia as a mode of transport for green hydrogen paired with the ability to convert it back into fuel in situ is a game changer in terms of how, when and where green hydrogen is used.”

Mr Hutchinson said the chance to partner with CSIRO on this technology and then Siemens to develop the prototype was a good example of the type of innovation and collaboration needed to move to a low-emissions technology.

Last year CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall said the partnership with FFI to commercialise the cracker membrane technology validated the market interest in hydrogen, especially the possibility of transporting hydrogen via ammonia.

“It addressed one of our big questions around cost-effective storage and distribution of hydrogen for use in vehicles, without the need to invest in new infrastructure, or consider shifting drivers’ existing behaviours,” he said at the time.

The UK estimates that hydrogen could make up one-third of its energy mix by 2050, but problems with hydrogen storage and transportation need to be overcome.

Traditionally ammonia has been produced using coal or natural gas, but new processes mean it can be made “green” by using renewable power which does not result in any carbon emissions during the process.

Siemens Energy already has experience with creating an ammonia-based energy storage system which turned electricity, water and air into water without releasing carbon emissions.

GeoPura, another collaborator on the Newcastle prototype, is aiming to use hydrogen to supply Hydrogen Power Units (HPUs) which are used as a replacement for heavy polluting diesel generators.

These can be used as an “off-grid” solution for a wide variety of industries including TV production.

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