Sparc Hydrogen Receives $2.75M Grant for Water Splitting Reactor in South Australia
Key Ideas
- Sparc Hydrogen in South Australia receives $2.75 million grant to accelerate development of photocatalytic water splitting technology.
- The funding, awarded through Australia's Economic Accelerator program, aims to commercialize the direct solar-to-hydrogen process over the next two years.
- The plant utilizes Linear Fresnel Receivers to concentrate sunlight for the water splitting process, eliminating the need for renewable electricity.
Sparc Hydrogen, a collaboration between Sparc Technologies, Fortescue Ltd, and the University of Adelaide in South Australia, has been granted $2.75 million by the federal government to expedite the development of their patented photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) reactor pilot plant. This funding, secured through Australia's Economic Accelerator grant program, will drive the technology towards commercialization within the next two years. The innovative plant, located near Adelaide, utilizes Linear Fresnel Receivers to focus sunlight onto a receiver to facilitate the PWS process, using a photocatalyst to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Notably, this process eliminates the requirement for renewable electricity or electrolysers. The Managing Director of Sparc, Nick O’Loughlin, expressed gratitude for the additional funding, emphasizing the company's commitment to collaboration with Australian universities in pioneering novel technologies.