A homegrown hydrogen storage breakthrough has been unveiled in Western Australia.
Carbon280 has launched its $16 million Hydrilyte Technology Pilot Plant in Kwinana.
The plant demonstrates a new liquid storage system designed to overcome one of the biggest bottlenecks in the hydrogen supply chain: safe and scalable transport at ambient temperature and pressure.
Carbon280’s patented Hydrilyte process suspends a metal hydride in light mineral oil, trapping hydrogen in a solid state within the liquid.
The hydrogen can then be released on demand, with the liquid and gas able to be stored indefinitely without loss.
“Rather than transporting a highly flammable gas you are storing and transporting a safe, low-cost liquid that stores hydrogen under ambient conditions,” says founder and CEO Mark Rheinlander.
“Low-cost and ease of handling will simplify and speed the implementation of hydrogen projects globally, enabling hydrogen use in applications and geographies with less sophisticated infrastructure.”
The pilot, a 100 kW TRL6 prototype, will generate performance data at an industrial scale.
Success would demonstrate that Hydrilyte can reduce costs for existing hydrogen users and accelerate applications such as green iron and steelmaking, synthetic aviation fuels, and methanol.
The technology could also support natural hydrogen exploration, where helium and hydrogen occur together.
“Natural hydrogen in combination with Hydrilyte® will be gamechanging for the use of hydrogen across all industries, including energy, by slashing costs and simplifying handling,” Rheinlander said.
Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, who officially opened the facility, said: “Congratulations to Carbon280 on this groundbreaking project. This Made in WA success story is a timely demonstration of how homegrown innovation and engineering excellence can contribute to the local and global energy transition. With its focus on improving the cost competitiveness of the hydrogen supply chain, Carbon280’s technology has the potential to have a significant impact on the hydrogen industry in Australia and across the globe.”
The $16 million project was backed by a $10.6 million seed round led by Woodside Energy, with participation from Hive Energy and a Singapore-based family office, alongside a forecast $5.5 million in federal R&D rebates.
By creating a pumpable liquid that can move through pipelines, tankers and ships using existing fuels infrastructure, Hydrilyte aims to deliver a safer, cheaper and more efficient path to scaling hydrogen.