A new and cost-effective way to extract green hydrogen from untreated water has been named the winner of the Griffith Hack Overall Prize at Curtin University’s 2023 Curtinnovation Awards.
The water electrolysis method developed by Curtin University Professor Zongping Shao and PhD candidate Ms Jiayi Tang works on unpurified water sources, including seawater. Their approach uses an alternative catalyst that costs just one tenth of existing methods and could produce green hydrogen at 60 per cent of the current cost.
Griffith Hack’s team were on hand at the ceremony to present Professor Shao and Ms Tang with their award. The winning project was one of 10 new products and services named winners at the 2023 Curtinnovation Awards. To see all the winners, please click here.
Griffith Hack patent attorney Dr Sophie Rankenburg (right) presented Professor Zongping Shao and Ms Jiayi Tang with the Griffith Hack Overall prize at the 2023 Curtinnovation Awards
More about the Griffith Hack Overall Winner
Project name: Green Hydrogen: an electrolyser to produce green hydrogen from untreated water
The two existing methods for extracting hydrogen from water have their limitations: one process requires ultrapure water and an expensive catalyst, the other requires significantly higher energy inputs for the same level of hydrogen production. Curtin researchers have created a new water electrolysis method that employs unpurified water sources, including sea water. Their approach uses an alternative catalyst that costs just one tenth of existing methods, calculated to offer up to a 38% cost saving in hydrogen production. This exciting development could be a cost effective, plentiful source of hydrogen that contributes to the achievement of global zero carbon goals.
Team: Professor Zongping Shao and Ms Jiayi Tang
More about the Curtinnovation Awards
The annual Curtinnovation Awards recognise Curtin University’s commitment to transforming exceptional research into new products and services that benefit the community, with leading research acknowledged across Curtin’s Faculties of Science and Engineering, Health Sciences, Business and Law and Humanities. Prizes are also awarded for the top submissions from a Curtin Entrepreneurs program graduate, the Learning and Teaching department, International or Student team, and the Trailblazer prize for the submission that can benefit the critical minerals and resources industry. Griffith Hack is proud to be a long-time sponsor of this program.
Left to right: Jacqui Thomas (Griffith Hack), Leanne Oitmaa (Griffith Hack), Robyn Heard, Dr Sophie Rankenburg (Griffith Hack), Rohan McDougall (Director, Commercialisation, Curtin University), Gordon Stewart (Director, Globaltech Corporation Pty Ltd), Stephanie Glyde (IP Counsel, Rio Tinto), Dr Jing Fung Tan (Griffith Hack)
Back row: Tryse Rioli (Artist), Malcolm Steinberg (Founder, Malka Foundation)
Front row: Dr Sophie Rankenburg, Prof. Melinda Fitzgerald (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Curtin University), Robyn Collard (Whadjuk Yorga, Cultural Educator), Prof. Harlene Hayne CNZM (Vice Chancellor, Curtin University), Nicole Lockwood (Chairman, Malka Foundation), Long Digbin (Consul-General of the Peoples Republic of China), Lu Zhou (Consul-General of the United States of America), Rohan McDougall
