
A first in green hydrogen reactor technology is being launched today at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy campus by Sparc Hydrogen Pty Ltd, a start-up company founded to translate research conducted by Professor Greg Metha.
Sparc Hydrogen is a joint venture between Fortescue, Sparc Technologies and the University of Adelaide. Representatives from each partner joined the ceremony.
The Sparc Hydrogen Advanced Research Pilot (SHARP) is a test bed for photocatalytic water splitting, a process which harnesses the sun’s energy to extract (green) hydrogen from water without the need for electrolysers powered by electricity. It is a potential game-changer in the global effort to deliver scalable, low-cost, renewable hydrogen.
SHARP will accelerate the development of Sparc Hydrogen’s patented photocatalytic water-splitting reactor technology and will enable real-world evaluation of photocatalytic water-splitting catalysts being developed globally.
In bringing together the world’s best reactor and catalyst technologies, and invaluable operational experience, SHARP represents a huge step forward in solar hydrogen commercialisation.
A commissioning ceremony at the University’s Roseworthy campus marked the fruition of years of University research and months of work undertaken by partners Sparc Technologies, the University of Adelaide and integrated green technology, energy and metals company, Fortescue Limited.
“The SHARP plant at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy campus will allow us to independently and concurrently test different reactor designs and photocatalyst materials,” said Metha.
“This next-generation photocatalytic water splitting technology has major advantages over electrolysis as it offers the potential to produce low cost, scalable green hydrogen and heat without significant electricity use.”
Photocatalytic water splitting is often referred to as direct solar-to-hydrogen technology as it avoids the need to convert solar energy into electricity to split water via electrolysis.
In photocatalysis, the sun’s energy is directed onto a highly specialised photocatalyst material, which forms reactive sites that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen without electrolysis.
Despite decades of research and notable advancements, the efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting remains a key challenge to reaching commercialisation. The SHARP pilot plant aims to improve the economics of producing green hydrogen using photocatalytic water splitting through driving increased efficiencies within modular and scalable concentrated solar infrastructure.
In the lead up to commissioning of the plant, front-end engineering and design was undertaken by leading global engineering and commercial service provider Incitias, while Sparc Hydrogen’s photocatalytic water splitting reactor, which is being commissioned using photocatalysts developed by Shinshu University in Japan, was developed at the University of Adelaide’s School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences.