Mars Food Australia trialling carbon-free industrial heating

The Central Coast Hydrogen Food Cluster and Star Scientific have announced the first applied research project for the latter’s HERO technology, using hydrogen to provide heat for industrial-scale sanitation with Mars Food Australia.

“Over the course of the past year there has been a significant shift in the conversation around hydrogen, with a new sense of urgency across industries,” said Star Scientific’s Global Group Chairman, Andrew Horvath. “The global food manufacturing sector is demanding a green pathway to process heat for cooking and cleaning.

“Our HERO technology answers the call; it is a non-polluting catalyst that uses hydrogen to generate zero-emission, limitless heat necessary for many major industrial applications without any combustion.”

Bill Heague, General Manager of Mars Food Australia, said, “As a global company we are committed to decarbonising our processes and working towards being ‘Sustainable in a Generation’, which includes investing in renewable energy and process heat. This pilot provides a real and tangible step towards a more sustainable future, and we are thrilled to be involved.”

The 18-month pilot is part of the Central Coast Hydrogen Food Cluster, a new industry-led hydrogen collaboration on the NSW Central Coast between Star Scientific and Central Coast Industry Connect.

“With the establishment of the Central Coast Hydrogen Food Cluster, we have the platform for industry players to be involved in the development of alternative heat sources for the food industry using hydrogen,” said Frank Sammut, Executive Director of the Central Coast Industry Connect.

“Having a global company like Mars Food Australia taking part in this first pilot project demonstrates the will and the need of industry to move forward with becoming truly ‘clean and green’, and will showcase the enormous opportunity of this technology in the local and international marketplace.”

Star Scientific will undertake extensive testing and consultation with Mars Food Australia, regulators and relevant government agencies throughout the development process of the pilot. Once completed, it will provide a foundational framework for the development of other heat sources used in food manufacturing.

“We are really excited about being able to demonstrate how our HERO can pave the way for Australian food manufacturers to reduce emissions, and very grateful for the support from all levels of government for this pilot,” said Horvath. “For us, it’s a recognition of the critical role that the cluster will play as an ‘incubator’ of regulatory issues for the hydrogen supply chain and more specifically, ‘green’ hydrogen made from renewable energy. This will enable us to identify challenges and provide solutions.”

The Central Coast Hydrogen Food Cluster, which launched last month, was established following an MoU between Central Coast Industry Connect and Star Scientific to pioneer the use of HERO technology and provide a carbon-free heat source for food manufacturing.