ARENA to fund renewable hydrogen and low emissions projects

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $50m for two funding rounds targeting research and development (R&D) for renewable hydrogen and low emissions iron and steel.

Funding will be provided over two phases, with a laboratory-based research phase followed by a commercialisation phase to help scale up and demonstrate breakthroughs.

$25 million will be allocated to each funding round, with funding for successful applicants expected to range between $500,000 and $5m.

The hydrogen round will include funding for two streams: one focused on improving and optimising the production of renewable hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, and another focused on investigating storage and distribution solutions.

The low emissions iron and steel round will fund research that can significantly reduce emissions across the steel value chain.

Iron and steel account for more than 7% of global emissions with technological innovation vital to the industry achieving net zero emissions.

Australia has an opportunity to reduce emissions from iron and steel production as the world’s largest producer and exporter of iron ore.

Chris Faris, ARENA Acting CEO, said the two rounds will help scale up renewable energy and low carbon exports.

“Renewable hydrogen and low emissions iron and steel will be critical to Australia’s net zero economy. The research and development we’re funding now through these programs will underpin our clean industries of tomorrow,” Faris said.

Though renewable hydrogen is already scaling up, there is more to be done in improving its efficiency and storing/transporting it.

“As global markets increasingly demand low carbon products, we need new solutions to bring us closer to net zero. And we need to get that research out of the lab and into industrial applications. This work is about futureproofing our iron and steel industries for a low carbon value chain,” Faris said.

Expressions of interest for ARENA’s Hydrogen and Iron & Steel Research & Development Funding Rounds are due 1 June 2023.

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