CSIRO hydrogen trial uses waste heat to improve efficiency at BlueScope Steel

CSIRO's tubular solid oxide electrolyser trial at Port Kembla demonstrates lower energy use in renewable hydrogen production, offering a pathway for decarbonising heavy industry.

Blue Scope CSIRO hydrogen trial
Sarb Giddey (CSIRO), Gurpreet Kaur (CSIRO), Shannon Ballard (BlueScope), Chris Rowland (Hadean Energy) and Michael Biro (BlueScope) outside the shipping container housing the electrolyser at BlueScope in Port Kembla, NSW. Image: CSIRO

The CSIRO has successfully tested its tubular solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) technology at BlueScope Steel’s Port Kembla Steelworks, using waste heat from steelmaking processes to reduce electricity demand for hydrogen production. The trial, which began in October 2024, achieved over 1000 hours of operation and showcased the system’s efficiency and reliability in an industrial setting.

Unlike standard hydrogen production methods, CSIRO’s SOE uses both steam and electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, cutting electricity use by up to 30%. Dr Sarb Giddey, a Senior Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO, said the system required less than 36 kWh of electrical input per kilogram of hydrogen produced.

“Since electricity takes up the lion’s share of variable production costs for renewable hydrogen, a substantial reduction in the electricity required (up to 30 per cent saving) for hydrogen production could be a game changer for the nascent hydrogen industry,” Dr Giddey said.

The project, supported by the Science and Industry Endowment Fund, is a collaboration between CSIRO, BlueScope Steel, and CSIRO spinout Hadean Energy. Hadean Energy has licensed the SOE technology and is working to commercialise it, focusing on creating cost-effective and durable systems for industrial applications.

Chris Rowland, CEO of Hadean Energy, noted that the system’s modular design and simplified manufacturing process reduce production costs. “The 1000-hour milestone validates the technology in a real-world industrial setting, increasing the technology readiness level to prepare for commercialisation,” Mr Rowland said.

BlueScope Steel has supported the pilot project as part of its long-term plans to reduce emissions. As the trial at BlueScope continues, Hadean Energy is also running durability tests on the technology at CSIRO’s Hydrogen Technology Demonstration Facility. The next step will involve deploying a 5 kW unit under the Australia-UK Renewable Hydrogen Innovation Partnerships, paving the way for larger industrial pilots.

To read more about tubular solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) technology, go to the Hadean Energy website here.

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