Positioning Australia to unlock hydrogen's potential in our clean energy future

By Professor Tiffany Walsh, Director Hycel Technology Hub and Deakin Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) Hydrogen Theme Lead Chair.

Deakin University is leveraging its science, technology and education expertise to power Australia’s clean energy future.

The Australian Government’s State of Hydrogen Report (2022) predicts that by 2050, Australia’s hydrogen industry could generate $50 billion in additional GDP and create more than 16,000 jobs in regional Australia.

That’s why it’s important for us to support Australia in accessing the world’s emerging hydrogen industry.

I’m excited to lead Deakin’s Hycel team and connect across the university, industry and community to support hydrogen innovation and adoption.

We’re putting south-west Victoria right at its heart - by launching a regional hub of expertise in hydrogen technology adoption, education, and social licence with Deakin’s Hycel Technology Hub at Deakin’s Warrnambool campus.

The Hycel Technology Hub is a nationally leading hydrogen research facility, designed and equipped to support applied R&D and scale-up, such as hydrogen fuel cell prototyping and testing.

At Hycel, there is a hands-on approach to the real-world usage of hydrogen, with four focus themes: hydrogen technology adoption, materials and manufacturing, education and social licence. By taking a holistic approach that develops hydrogen technologies, educational pathways and products, we’re supporting a transition to a cleaner future.

Funded by the Victorian and Australian governments, the Hycel Technology Hub provides space for industry co-location to propel innovation and industry adoption of hydrogen technology in Australia.

Deakin is also one of six trailblazing universities nationwide that received funding through the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program to drive innovation with industry partners through research-led projects to work together to tackle ambitious clean energy and recycling challenges for industry.

Based at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus in the Geelong Future Economy Precinct, REACH is partnering with businesses to undertake commercially focused research to create and accelerate pathways for new battery and energy storage, hydrogen and carbon fibre and recycling and circular economy technologies to enter global supply chains and markets.

Within REACH, our Deakin researchers are working with industry partners to explore what’s possible for new clean energy and recycling technologies, looking at how we can scale up discoveries from research to production.

Australia is rich in the solar and wind resources required to produce renewable energy. Through the Hycel and REACH initiatives, Deakin is well-placed to support the growth of our clean energy industries.

Hydrogen is slated for use in hard-to-abate industries such as heavy transport, making green chemicals and green manufacturing.

We will need a skilled clean energy workforce to supercharge the hydrogen industry - they will be the driving force of our transition to a cleaner, greener future.

These important projects place Deakin at the forefront of working with industry to produce job-ready graduates and upskill those already working in industry.

Deakin has launched two new specialised engineering degrees - Electrical and Renewable Energy and Environmental and Sustainability.

We've also introduced six new online courses in clean energy and hydrogen, and this is only the beginning.

Deakin’s Work Integrated Learning program connects students with businesses that have partnered with Deakin to work on sustainability solutions. The program is designed to equip students with the latest skills and knowledge to innovate with renewable energy and circular economy technologies.

Businesses can engage students from each of Deakin’s faculties, including Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Arts and Education, Health, and Business and Law – to get the skills they need.

These extensive education offerings create new career pathways for secondary students and support those working in our existing fossil fuel industries to transition to clean energy jobs.

Businesses can also connect with our graduates and advertise positions through Deakin Talent when recruiting.

We’re backing south-west Victoria to be a leading global hub of expertise and economic activity – with the businesses, technologies and skilled workforce needed to succeed.

Contact the Hycel team to play a part in our clean energy future.