Funding from both the German and NZ Governments was awarded in 2021 to support the development of a German-NZ green hydrogen centre (based at Otago University) and the strengthening of networking (research and industry) and outreach (public and schools), co-led by Dr Paul Jerabek (Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon, Institute for Hydrogen Technology) and Prof Sally Brooker (University of Otago). We will also try to facilitate the realisation of an industry-focused German-New Zealand Southern Innovation Campus.
On the NZ side, we are committed to building a deep and enduring partnership with Ngai Tahu, and have brought together researchers from all NZ universities, the MacDiarmid Institute, polytechnics, Crown Research Institutes (GNS & Scion), Ara Ake, and Callaghan Innovation. We are also working with private sector experts and the New Zealand Hydrogen Council as we look to build more and stronger green hydrogen partnerships with German researchers and industries, with a particular, but not exclusive, focus on green hydrogen storage materials (able to store hydrogen at densities similar to that obtained by compression (to high pressures) or cryogenic cooling (liquification), but at close to ambient pressure and temperature) as this is an existing strength of HZH. As part of this relationship building, HZH will build, supply and train us on their propriety Sieverts apparatus. A/Prof Nigel Lucas (Otago) will be in charge of this instrument, which accurately measures hydrogen uptake by such storage materials. Indeed the quality of this instrument from HZH will place us into the top four labs in the world. This adds new capability in NZ – please contact A/Prof Nigel Lucas if you are interested in access.
The announcement of three research grants, to be awarded to German-NZ teams working in the area of green hydrogen, is imminent. The funding for these is again coming from both Governments: MBIE is supporting the NZ side with $2million per grant, and the German side will gain funding from the German BMBF.
Please see the press releases (Otago, HZH) for more information, or email Prof Sally Brooker.
