Sparc Hydrogen secures AEA grant for photocatalytic water splitting reactor

Sparc Technologies Limited (ASX: SPN) has announced that, representing Sparc Hydrogen, the University of Adelaide secured funding under Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) grant program. This A$470,511 award from the AEA Seed round will fund Sparc Hydrogen’s ongoing laboratory tests and prototyping activities for their photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) reactor.

Selection Amidst Stiff Competition

The University of Adelaide stood out among more than 200 proposals in Tranche 1 of the AEA Seed round, emphasizing the round’s highly competitive nature. The purpose of these funds is to further laboratory testing under simulated solar conditions and continue prototyping at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales, which began in September 2023.

Statements from Sparc Technologies

Stephen Hunt, Executive Chairman of Sparc Technologies, expressed his satisfaction with securing the grant. He said, “Receipt of grant funding for Sparc Hydrogen from the highly competitive AEA Seed round is very pleasing and reflects both the strength of the application and the game-changing potential of the photocatalytic water splitting technology under development.”

He further added that the funding would accelerate their research and prototyping at CSIRO, and Sparc Hydrogen would explore participation in future phases of the AEA program and other funding avenues.

A Boost for Green Hydrogen: Sparc Hydrogen’s PWS Reactor Gets AEA Financial Support. Image courtesy of Sparc Technologies Limited.

Insights into the AEA Program

Running from 2023 to 2032, the AEA program is backed by a whopping A$1.6bn investment from the Australian Government to bolster research commercialization. This initiative forms part of the Australian Government’s University Research Commercialisation Action Plan to amplify Australia’s globally-acclaimed university sector research commercialization.

Tranche 1 of the AEA Seed round, where the University of Adelaide applied for Sparc Hydrogen, was launched in February 2023. It targeted research projects with technology readiness levels (TRLs) of 3 – 5, and the maximum grant amount per applicant was capped at A$500,000.

Update on Prototyping Testing

The prototype testing of Sparc Hydrogen’s PWS reactor commenced on 13 September 2023 at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle. Two testing phases have been successfully concluded as of this announcement, and the reactor performed optimally at desired solar concentration and temperatures. Data collected, including hydrogen gas production measurements, will contribute to future pilot scale reactor development.

What is Sparc Hydrogen?

Sparc Hydrogen is a collaborative venture involving Sparc Technologies (52%), the University of Adelaide (28%), and Fortescue Future Industries (20%). They are pioneering next-gen green hydrogen technology via a method known as photocatalytic water splitting (PWS). This method, an alternative to the common green hydrogen production through electrolysis, utilizes only sunlight, water, and a photocatalyst. The patent-pending solar reactor from Sparc Hydrogen holds promise in enhancing the PWS efficiency to extract hydrogen from water using concentrated solar energy.