With $15 million in funding CSIRO is combining its strong alliance with RFC Ambrian and Osaka Gas to reduce industrial emissions
CSIRO has secured $15 million in initial funding through its FPR Energy arm to commercialise next-generation solar thermal technology that is claimed will help reduce industrial emissions, which currently account for 20% of Australia’s annual carbon footprint.
FPR Energy has been launched in collaboration with global advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and utility leader Osaka Gas, all part of the effort in raising the largest initial seed funding for a CSIRO co-founded venture to date.
FPR Energy aims to cut emissions in heavy industries such as minerals refining, steel, cement and chemical production using CSIRO’s particle-based Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology, capable of producing temperatures up to 1200 degrees Celsius – an industry-first.
The technology uses abundant and low-cost ceramic particles to store sunlight as heat, enabling long-duration energy storage to support industrial processes, green fuel production and reliable, dispatchable power.
CSIRO Energy Technologies Research Director, Dr Daniel Roberts, said FPR Energy is a major step in meeting the growing demand for renewable solutions in hard-to-abate heavy industries.
“FPR Energy is building on years of solar thermal research, demonstrating CSIRO’s commitment to supporting emissions reduction using impact-focussed science and technology,” Dr Roberts explains.
“Diversifying how we harness Australia’s abundant solar resources will help develop a low-carbon economy and support economic growth and job creation in the Hunter NSW region.
“Helping heavy industries to transition to cleaner energy sources is essential to reaching Australia’s net-zero emission targets,” Dr Roberts added.
FPR Energy plans to develop a 50-megawatt thermal demonstration plant, with up to 16 hours of integrated thermal energy storage. The plant aims to prove the commercial viability of FPR Energy’s CST technology at a utility-scale.
Osaka Gas, a major Japanese utility operating in Australia, brings valuable knowledge and expertise to advance the CST technology to market, with energy, heat and electricity solutions tailored for the Australian resources sector.
Hiroki Tanaka, Head of Next generation Business Development Department of Osaka Gas, said he was excited to collaborate with CSIRO and RFC Ambrian to create and offer unique solutions for industries.
“Emission reduction and affordability of energy are often a dilemma for many industrial energy users and this particle-based CST and possibly thermal energy storage can offer practical solutions for them,” Hiroki Tanaka said.
“Through our history, we have been contributing to the low carbonisation by switching heat sources from coal, fuel oil to gas with efficient energy solutions. We are thrilled to bring our knowledge to help FPR Energy to create real-life solutions for industrial customers,” Hiroki Tanaka concluded.
Rob Adamson, Chair of RFC Ambrian, said he was delighted to partner with CSIRO and Osaka Gas to launch FPR Energy.
“The decarbonisation of high-temperature industrial processes is crucial, and particle-based CST technology stands out as a high promising solution, offering both high-temperature heat and long-duration storage at competitive costs,” Mr Adamson said.
“FPR Energy’s technology embodies Australian innovation in solar technology and is designed for scalable, local manufacturing,” Rob Adamson added.
Behind FPR Energy formation
FPR Energy is a venture co-founded by CSIRO, RFC Ambrian and Osaka Gas commercialising particle-based Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) technology to drive industrial decarbonisation and support Australia’s transition to net-zero emissions.
FPR Energy draws on the success of previous CSIRO and RFC Ambrian ventures, including Chrysos , NextOre, Hadean Energy and MRead.
Headquartered at CSIRO’s Energy Centre in Newcastle, FPR Energy is built on CSIRO’s particle receiver technology research program, developed through the Australian solar Thermal Research Institute (ASTRI), with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
FPR Energy plans to expand the technology to other high-solar regions worldwide, including North and South America, the Middle East and Africa. Learn more about FPR Energy here.
