Harvesting natural hydrogen project receives CRC-P funding
H2EX, an Australian energy company, is partnering with engineering firm Black & Veatch and two Australian universities to embark on a project aimed at accelerating the discovery and extraction of renewable natural hydrogen.
The collaboration between H2EX, Black and Veatch, the University of Adelaide and Australian National University will focus on developing green and passive exploration techniques to enable cost-effective and efficient harvesting of natural hydrogen.
The project is informed by a study, completed in December 2022 by H2EX and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The two conducted pioneering research on hydrogen seeps and migration pathways in the Eyre Peninsula.
Building on this research, CSIRO and H2EX successfully conducted a gas soil sampling campaign in May 2023, specifically targeting hydrogen and helium detection. These groundbreaking projects were made possible through the CSIRO Kick-Start program.
The latest project, to be conducted on H2EX's exploration license in South Australia, will receive grant funding of A$863,000 through the Cooperative Research Council Projects (CRC-P) Round 14 initiative. PEL 691 covers more than 50,000km2 in the Eyre Peninsula region.
With an estimated total cost of A$2.1 million, the research aims to establish an exploration blueprint that will enhance Australia's competitive advantage as a low-cost energy producer. By harnessing natural hydrogen resources, the project aims to create substantial export opportunities while retaining Australia's technical expertise in the emerging global hydrogen sector.
The project is set to commence in late 2023 for a duration of 18 months, with the partners hoping to unlock significant benefits and pioneer advancements in the field.
