The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has awarded $59.1 million in funding across 21 research projects to support R&D and commercialisation activities covering renewable hydrogen and low emissions iron & steel.
The funding has been provided to research teams from some of Australia’s top universities, research organisations, startups and companies.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said funding early-stage R&D and pushing innovation was at the core of ARENA’s mission in supporting the global transition to net zero emissions.
“We’re backing Australian technological innovation that helps build our clean industries and underpins our ambitions of becoming a renewable energy superpower,” he said.
An initial $25 million in funding was provided for each of the two funding rounds – Renewable Hydrogen and Iron & Steel.
Due to the quality of applications, ARENA has increased the total funding amount to $59.1 million. Grant funding for each successful applicant ranges between $1.3 million and $5 million.
Funding for the R&D projects will be provided over two stages, an initial core research stage followed by a research commercialisation stage aimed at scaling up and demonstrating application of research breakthroughs in the market.
“Through our strategic priorities, we have highlighted the importance of renewable hydrogen and low emissions metals growing to become a significant export industry,” Miller said.
Australia is the world’s largest exporter of iron ore, supplying up to 53 per cent of international exports each year. Decarbonisation through the iron & steel value chain will have a significant impact on global emissions reduction.
Projects include funding to the University of NSW to develop a new blast furnace technology to create a low emission iron-making process.
ARENA awarded $4.4 million to UNSW’s Shen Lab.
The ‘Renewable Injections-Sustainable Burdens (RISB) process project’ will be led by Prof. Yansong Shen and involve partners from the steel-making industry including Rio Tinto, BlueScope Steel, Baowu Steel, ArcelorMittal and Cleantech Energy Australia.
The project provides a novel iron-making solution for Australian iron ore, predominately comprised of lower grade ore from the Pilbara, and will help to decarbonise domestic steel production.
“Our project is focussed on new and cost-effective ways to optimise the use of low-grade Australian iron ore and the use of renewable fuels including fine-ferrous feeds, hydrogen-rich gases and biochar into the process,” Shen said.
“We are confident that we can create a viable blast furnace process, enabling a low-emission ironmaking process to be brought to market in the near future.”
Another UNSW project, ‘Production, Multiphase Electrolysers for Renewable Ammonia Production’, led by Professor Amal, received $1.9 million as part of the Hydrogen energy research and development funding round.
The team will partner with engineering and investment companies to accelerate the scaling-up and commercialisation of the technology.
“Renewable ammonia is an energy carrier in the emerging hydrogen economy,” Amal said.
UNSW has developed a patented technology known as OzAmmonia, which facilitates the direct conversion of air (and water) into ammonia and has the capability to transform nitrogen oxide gases found in waste flue gas, and nitrate and nitrite in wastewater, into ammonia.
“The ability to safely produce renewable ammonia through our hybrid advanced oxidation and electrolyser process has great potential to support the development of low cost, clean ammonia in Australia,” Amal said.