What is the HyGATE Initiative?
The HyGATE Initiative is a program intended to support real-world pilot, trial and demonstration projects along the hydrogen supply chain and to facilitate collaboration between Australian and German partners. Australia and Germany have respectively committed up to $50 million and €50 million to establish the HyGATE Initiative.
Background
The German-Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator (HyGATE) is one of the three major initiatives developed as part of the Declaration of Intent between the Government of Australia and the Government of Germany on the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord (the Accord). HyGATE is intended to support real-world pilot, trial and demonstration projects along the hydrogen supply chain. Australia and Germany have respectively committed up to $50 million and
€50 million to establish HyGATE.
ARENA will administer the HyGATE Initiative on behalf of the Australian Government (through the Department of Industry, Science, Environment and Resources (DISER)). Projektträger Jülich (PtJ) will administer the HyGATE Initiative on behalf of the German Government (through the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)).
Objectives
The objectives of the HyGATE Initiative are to:
- Facilitate collaboration between Australian and German partners from research, industry and civil society to stimulate the innovation process in both countries
- Expedite scaling up and commercialisation of the renewable hydrogen industry in both Australia and Germany through cross-country collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Allow Research and Development (R&D) findings or new technologies to be proven up through trial or demonstration projects in Australia, with deployment taking place in the short to medium term
- Support the development of a renewable hydrogen supply chain between Australia and Germany.
The HyGATE Initiative will provide funding for real-world joint pilots, trials, demonstrations and applied research in the field of hydrogen production, storage and usage. The aim of these activities is to test and demonstrate forward-looking approaches and novel solutions on a pilot scale under real-world conditions.
Funding
Up to $50 million (AUD) has been allocated to ARENA to administer the HyGATE Initiative. ARENA may allocate an amount of funding that is less than the Total Funding Allocation if the Proposals received under the Round are not considered to be of sufficient merit.
Eligible Projects
The HyGATE Initiative is open to funding proposals for deployment stage projects related to any aspect along the entire value chain for hydrogen produced from renewables – from hydrogen generation from renewables, further processing into derivatives such as synthetic fuels or green ammonia, to transport, storage, usage and unlocking commercial or financing models.
Projects funded under the Round will deliver one or more of the following outcomes:
- Demonstration of highly innovative technology across the value chain of renewable hydrogen, supporting the technical viability of renewable hydrogen
- Reduction of the cost of hydrogen production, transport, storage and use, supporting the commercial viability of renewable hydrogen
- Development of an Australian-German supply chain for renewable hydrogen
- Encourage cross country collaboration and knowledge sharing between Australian and German organisations, including the establishment of cross-country partnerships related to the project activities
- Provide price discovery and transparency in relation to the current and projected economics for renewable hydrogen technologies.
Projects that have direct and substantial involvement of both German and Australian organisations will generally be viewed as being able to better deliver these outcomes. Project activities are expected to occur primarily in Australia.
Eligible Applicants
To be an Applicant you must:
- at the time of applying, hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and
- unless applying for funding for Desktop Studies and Analysis,
- be (or warrant that you will be at the time of entering into a funding agreement) an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or
- be a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a government business enterprise by section 5 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 or
- be an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or a subsidiary of an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or
- be an Australian local government or council.
Applicants under this Round are required to meet all eligibility criteria as outlined in the Advancing Renewables Program Guidelines.
Timing
Applications close 3 May 2022.
An information session will be held on 23 March 2022 at 6:00 PM (AEDT).
More Information
Latest News
09 March 2022 – Grant applications now open for green hydrogen projects
The German-Australian Hydrogen Innovation and Technology Incubator has opened grant applications for green hydrogen projects. The incubator will support “real-world pilot, trial and demonstration projects” along the value chain. It aims to lower the cost of production and lift innovation in both countries.
The incubator has been jointly supported by $50 million and €50 million commitments from the Australian and German governments. HIPCC is a product of the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord, announced last year.
