Beyond electrolysis – novel technologies
TO LOWER THE cost OF renewable hydrogen
FREE PUBLIC WEBINAR
Hydrogen generated from renewable sources is seen as a key enabler for heavy industry decarbonisation, particularly for green steel production. However, with increasing numbers of hydrogen projects around the world being deferred or cancelled, there is an increasing focus on the cost and scale up of hydrogen produced using electrolysis, currently the dominant technology for green hydrogen. As a result, there is increasing interest in emerging alternative technologies that could reduce costs and accelerate deployment.
This webinar explores innovative approaches to hydrogen generation, focusing on photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting – technologies that have the potential to deliver significant cost reductions in clean hydrogen production. We’ll also take a brief look at thermochemical and methane pyrolysis routes.
Join Professor Greg Metha (University of Adelaide) as he shares insights from his leadership roles on the International Energy Agency Task on Renewable Hydrogen Production and Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Forum, exploring the latest developments in photocatalysis.
Vinod Gopalan from Sparc Hydrogen will provide an industry perspective on the commercial opportunities including Sparc’s photocatalysis project.
Associate Professor Fiona Beck (Australian National University) – Research Leader of HILT CRC’s Facilitating Transformation Program – will host the webinar, including audience Q&A.
Watch the webinar recording:
SPEAKERS
Professor Greg Metha, The University of Adelaide
Greg Metha is a Professor of Chemistry and Acting Director of the Centre for Energy Technology (CET) at the University of Adelaide. He established and convenes the international Hydrogen Production Technology (HyPT) series of forums, which have run since 2019. He is also the Australian Director of the NSF-CSIRO Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Center, a sub-task leader for the IEA Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) Task 45: Renewable Hydrogen Technology, and Australian lead for the Mission Innovation Sunlight-to-X Innovation Platform.
Greg’s research uses light sources from lasers to synchrotrons, across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, investigating a range of molecular phenomena to discover new molecules and explore their properties. He heads the Metal Cluster Laboratory, which focuses on the exploration of the physical and chemical properties of sub-nanometre-sized metallic particles underpinned by advanced computational modelling, the advancement of novel catalysts based on metal clusters, and building novel apparatus and instrumentation including pioneering work developing photocatalytic reactors that operate under concentrated radiation.
Greg’s most recent work involves using light to produce chemical fuels directly from sunlight such as hydrogen from water-splitting, and hydrocarbons from CO2 reduction. Greg also enjoys teaching into a wide range of Chemistry courses and runs an active and happy research group.
Vinod Gopalan, Project Manager, Sparc Hydrogen
Vinod Gopalan has 20+ years of experience working in the design, engineering and construction of large gas- and coal-fired power projects. He has significant recent experience in energy-from-waste and green hydrogen development, aligned to the gradual global transition to renewable energy and a more sustainable future. Vinod has a degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Leeds and has managed complex construction and engineering projects in the energy sector.
Associate Professor Fiona Beck, The Australian National University
Based at ANU’s School of Engineering, Fiona Beck leads HILT CRC Program 3 (Facilitating Transformation). She has over 15 years’ experience developing novel technologies for renewable energy, including solar cells and the photoelectrochemical production of renewable fuels and commodities based on hydrogen and hydrocarbons. Over the past 5 years, Fiona’s work has combined engineering, energy policy, and techno-economics to provide high quality information on the costs, benefits, and implications of decarbonisation pathways for a range of industry and government stakeholders. As such, she has contributed significantly to the national conversation on new, zero-carbon industries and exports, through academic publications, presentations to stakeholders, submissions to government, and contributions in the media.