Environmental Clean Technologies Limited announced the signing of a Term Sheet for the field trial of the Panasonic Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology as part of its COLDry Demonstration and Net Zero Hydrogen Project at JBD Industrial Park, in Bacchus Marsh, northwest of Melbourne. Developing a Clean Hydrogen Demonstration at Bacchus Marsh: As previously announced, the company is progressing with its COLDry Commercial Demonstration Project aimed at demonstrating a set of unique solutions, including: Clean hydrogen for energy and industrial chemicals from lignite and biomass; Agricultural char for soil health and food security; Battery Active Carbon to support the diversification of critical minerals. As part of the Bacchus Marsh Project, ECT will produce hydrogen that can be utilised in several applications, including hydrogen vehicles, fertiliser and formic acid production.

Hydrogen can also be used for stationary electricity production, to power on-site activities or for export to the grid. To achieve this, a hydrogen fuel cell is needed to convert the hydrogen to electricity. Panasonic has developed the modular plug-and-play 5kW hydrogen fuel cell, which will enter mass production in late 2022.

Panasonic Australia is partnering with Optimal to advance the stand-alone fuel cell in Australia, and ECT has been selected to participate in field trials of the technology. A successful trial will see ECT install larger numbers of fuel cells to manage the load and despatch of on-site hydrogen production, producing clean electricity for site use and supply to the grid.