Natural hydrogen generation investigation wins ARC Linkage funding
Australian researchers are set to start a range of outstanding research projects with the announcement of Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded Linkage Projects last week.
The Linkage Program promotes national and international research partnerships between researchers and business, industry, community organisations and other publicly funded research agencies. By supporting the development of partnerships, the ARC encourages the transfer of skills, knowledge and ideas as a basis for securing commercial and other benefits of research.
The Linkage Projects scheme objectives are to:
- support internationally competitive research projects and teams on challenges or opportunities of relevance to research end-users;
- foster the establishment and strengthening of research alliances between higher education organisations and research end-users;
- enhance the scale and focus of research, including in Australian Government priority areas.
The ARC Chief Executive Officer, Ms Judi Zielke PSM, said the ARC Linkage Projects scheme supports Australian researchers to collaborate with industry partners and community organisations to work towards practical solutions in industry settings.
In the latest round of funding, the ARC awarded more than $28 million to 57 research grants.
A project spearheaded by Scientia Professor David Waite from UNSW Engineering was awarded $612,689, aiming to elucidate factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments. Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive tools will be developed to assist in assessing the viability in Australia of hydrogen exploration and engineered retrieval. Benefits include ready access to naturally produced hydrogen which could enable Australia to replace hydrogen currently generated via the use of unabated hydrocarbons.
The project is being undertaken in partnership with Geoscience Australia; Geological Survey of Western Australia; Geological Survey of NSW; Department for Energy and Mining; and Department of State Growth.
