New electrolyser manufacturing facility opened in Port Kembla

Australian startup electrolyser company Hysata officially opened its new 8000 m² global headquarters and electrolyser manufacturing facility in Port Kembla on Monday.

The company has developed a pioneering high-efficiency electrolyser that is expected to transform the economics of green hydrogen production and accelerate decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, chemical manufacture and heavy transport.

The Australian Government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has given a vote of confidence in Hysata’s technology by announcing a $20.9 million grant from its Advancing Renewables Program. This funding will support commercial demonstration of a 5 MW electrolyser unit to be trialled adjacent to the Stanwell Power Station near Rockhampton, Queensland.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), Queensland Government-owned power company Stanwell Corporation will support the demonstration project with $3 million and provide the site and facilities for the field deployment of the electrolyser, which is being developed at Hysata’s new manufacturing facility.

Hysata CEO Dr Paul Barrett said this is a pivotal moment in the company’s rapid technological and commercial scaling, as they work towards fulfilling a 9.4 GW pipeline of signed conditional orders and letters of intent.

“Hysata’s new facility in Port Kembla signals the next phase of our scale-up journey. Our plan encompasses the construction of a 100 MW per annum production line, with commercial-scale units scheduled for delivery in 2025, including the 5 MW electrolyser unit for Stanwell’s project. And we will ramp up rapidly to gigascale capacity thereafter,” he said. “We are proud to be partnering with ARENA and Stanwell to deliver the first commercial demonstration of our electrolyser. It is the first step towards Hysata reaching gigawatt scale by 2026 to fulfil burgeoning demand for our electrolysers.

“This site will also serve as the headquarters for our entire staff, fostering collaboration and fortifying our values-driven culture. We look forward to creating hundreds more local jobs and strengthening Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capabilities as we continue to grow.”

Hysata’s electrolysers are claimed to be the world’s most efficient electrolysis cell, combined with a simplified balance of plant, achieving 95% system efficiency (41.5 kWh/kg). This efficiency has been verified in top-tier peer reviewed journal Nature Communications, surpassing incumbents by 20% and exceeding the International Renewable Energy Agency’s 2050 electrolyser efficiency target.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy the Hon Chris Bowen MP officially opened the facility.

“We’re delighted to support game-changing, home-grown innovation that will power our future as a clean energy manufacturer and a renewable energy superpower,” Bowen said.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project is a crucial step to enabling purchase orders for the technology.

“Hysata is a great example of Australian innovation leading the way in renewable energy. This electrolyser technology could be a game changer for renewable hydrogen,” he said. “The demonstration at Stanwell’s site will be key to unlocking commercial demand for Hysata’s product by proving the technology works at scale.

“ARENA has been involved in this technology since it was just a concept in a laboratory, so we’re pleased to be supporting this next step toward commerciality. Identifying promising renewable energy solutions and helping them along the innovation chain is what ARENA does best.”