Sydney-headquartered hydrogen fuel cell and electrolyser systems developer and manufacturer start-up Siltrax, has been awarded $10.4 million (USD $7million) from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
The financial commitment will help develop an innovative form of hydrogen fuel cell technology that makes lighter, more efficient fuel cells.
Siltrax’s technology uses bipolar plates made from silicon rather than the more commonly used graphite or metallic materials, to produce thinner, more efficient plates.
The use of silicon allows Siltrax to leverage the existing solar cell supply chain for both raw materials, and production equipment.
Image: Siltrax
The CEFC investment will be managed by climate tech venture capital manager Virescent Ventures to help Siltrax build out its Australian research and development team to focus on fuel cell systems engineering and local commercialisation opportunities.
Virescent Ventures Managing Partner Ben Gust said one of the advantages of using silicon manufacturing techniques optimised in the solar industry is the potential to lower costs.
“Other advantages of using silicon instead of metal include corrosion resistance and reduced bulk which enables better power density,” Gust said.
Siltrax founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr Zhengrong Shi said prices in the solar industry have dropped from between $5.9 and $7.4 to today’s $0.45 / W in the last few years.
“Siltrax builds upon the foundations of PV and semiconductor manufacturing, and is able to utilise the existing supply chains, technologies, and talent pool to the fullest.”
The Siltrax technology has potential to be used in the heavy duty, long-haul trucking sector, which a CEFC commissioned Australian Hydrogen Market Study found is likely to be dependent on green hydrogen to reduce emissions, with hydrogen fuel cell powered trucks forecast to be cheaper in the long term than internal combustion engine vehicles as technology costs reduce and utilisation of infrastructure improves.
Siltrax’s first target market is stationary power generation, where fuel cells generate electricity through a mechanism that does not require combustion.
CEFC Chief Asset Management Officer Sara Leong said advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology is a critical enabler that will help develop the hydrogen value chain, as well as accelerate development of Australia’s hydrogen industry.
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