ARENA to fund hydrogen, low-emissions steel R&D with USD 33m

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on Thursday announced two funding rounds of AUD 25 million (USD 33m/EUR 31m) each for research and development (R&D) projects in renewable hydrogen and low-emissions iron and steel.

The Hydrogen Research and Development Round will allocate funds across two streams: for projects that improve the production of renewable hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia, and for projects focused on hydrogen storage and distribution solutions.

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Support will be provided over two phases, with an initial laboratory-based research phase to be followed by a commercialisation phase.

The low emissions Iron and Steel Round will aim to back projects that can reduce emissions across the steel value chain in the near and long term.

Interested parties can submit expressions of interest for both rounds by June 1, 2023.

“Renewable hydrogen and low emissions iron and steel will be critical to Australia’s net zero economy,” said ARENA acting chief executive Chris Faris.

Australia is the world’s largest producer and exporter of iron ore and has the ambition to become a hydrogen superpower.

(AUD 1 = USD 0.667/EUR 0.611)