Ann: Sparc Completes Testing at CSIRO with Hydrogen Production, page-34

Here is the full article from The Advertiser which is also on the SparcHydrogen linkedIn page

Fortescue FutureIndustries-backed Sparc Technologies progressing green hydrogen pilot plans
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Andrew Forrest-backed Sparc Technologies is progressing plans for agreen hydrogen pilot by mid-year to test its potentially game-changing techno

Greenhydrogen hopeful Sparc Technologies and its joint venture partners, includingAndrew Forrest’s Fortescue Future Industries, are progressing plans to begin construction of a multimillion-dollarpilot plant in the coming months.

The projectwould be a major test of its potentially groundbreaking technology.

ASX-listedSparc’s hydrogen subsidiary aims to commercialise its photocatalytic watersplitting technology – spun out of Adelaide and Flinders universities – whichcan convert water into hydrogen and oxygen using only the sun’s radiation and aphotocatalyst.

Unliketraditional green hydrogen methods, the process does not require renewableenergy from wind farms, or solar panels, or an electrolyser, and therefore itis hoped the technology will provide a low-cost alternative in the emerginghydrogen market.

Followingrecent prototyping of Sparc’s reactor at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle,it now wants to build a pilot plant at a site in Adelaide’s north where furthertesting will be conducted.

The jointventure partners have committed funding for the project, which will go to theboard for formal approval in the middle of the year.

Formerinvestment banker Nick O’Loughlin, who took over as managing director inJanuary, said it was an important moment for the “potentially game-changingtechnology”.

“We didsome prototyping up in Newcastle, and we’re looking to build a pilot plant forthat technology up in the north of Adelaide;hoping to start construction on that around mid year, so that would bethe first facility of this type, globally, that we’re aware of,” he said.

“That isreally quite an exciting prospect. As part of the joint venture, which wasstructured a couple of years ago, the partners put in a bit over $2m up front,and now it’s a $2.5m investment in the middle of this year between us andFortescue.

“It’s about a six-month build so hopefully by latethis year, or more likely early next year, we’ll have something on theground which the researchers will then be able to access, we’ll be able to showpeople around.

“Movingthat from a technology into something that’s pre-commercial is the step afterthe pilot, and I think that excites a lot of people. A lot of people who wespeak to, particularly when we speak to people in Europe and tell them youdon’t need an electrolyser, it’s the holy grail; it’s a big bang technology Iwould say.”

SparcTechnologies backdoor-listed into Acacia Coal in late 2020, raising $4m at 20cper share to be used to commercialise its graphene technology, as the companywas originally focused on graphene production for marine and protectivecoatings.

Thatproduct, known as Ecosparc, is still progressing, and it recently announcedupcoming trials with the South Australian government ahead of plannedcommercialisation.

Sparc hasconducted more than four years of research and development on Ecosparc, agraphene-based additive which is added to paint and other conventional coatingsto improve the corrosion performance of frames, tanks and other steel products.

The fieldtrials, with the SA Department for Infrastructure and Transport, will takeplace on Adelaide’s West Beach bridge and the Streaky Bay jetty on the EyrePeninsula.

Meanwhile,the company’s green hydrogen subsidiary, Sparc Hydrogen, has attractedinterest, and investment from Andrew Forrest’s green energy business, whichpaid an initial $1.8m for a 20 per cent stake in 2022.

TheUniversity of Adelaide is the third member of the joint venture, which isprogressing plans for its “ultra-green hydrogen’’ technology.

StephenHunt, who recently transitioned from executive to non-executive chairman, saidthat while the technology had great promise, investor appetite for emergingtechnologies continued to be cautious.

“We thinkthe Australian market is not as well tuned in, if you like, to some of thesenascent technologies as certainly the US and Europe,” he said.

“Thecurrent market is pretty dismal for the small micro-caps, but I think we’veweathered the storm reasonably well.

“One thingthat’s a huge support to us is the government R&D tax rebate. We justrecently received $1.4m back in a refund.

“If thatcould be increased in any way that would certainly drive more R&D back intouniversities and small companies like us, which would then probably attractmore investor dollars as well.”