A hydrogen facility that will enable research, demonstration, testing and training has officially opened at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus.
The Hycel Technology Hub is the first of its kind, strategically located along an interstate transport corridor that connects industries, communities and resources, and is situated within a Victorian Renewable Energy Zone.
The project was supported by a $9 million investment from the Victorian Government’s Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund, in addition to a $9 million investment from the Federal Government and funding contributions from Deakin University.
The Hycel Technology Hub is a 4.5ha precinct that is co-located with South West TAFE and features a new product engineering development laboratory, three laboratory bays, associated offices and a dedicated community and multifunctional space.
The hub will increase Victoria’s testing and manufacturing capabilities in hydrogen technologies, with a focus on developing fuel cells for transport and heavy vehicles, as well as trains or boats.
The building also includes plumbed-in low- and high-pressure hydrogen to specialised laboratories and equipment such as the G400 fuel cell stack testing station – the only one of its kind in Australia.
The facility is expected to support up to 200 jobs in regional Victoria over the life of the project, including around 50 construction jobs and 16 in the energy sector.
Hycel Director, Professor Tiffany Walsh, said, “At Hycel, industry partners can leverage these unique spaces and equipment to maximise their competitiveness and create new global market opportunities – all within the broader context of hydrogen adoption encompassing safety, regulatory, societal and workforce development considerations.
“The facility brings a hands-on approach to real-world hydrogen usage. We bridge university, industry and the community to help drive the clean energy transition.”
Deakin University Vice Chancellor, Professor Iain Martin, said that Deakin is known as agile and industry facing, and the Hycel Technology Hub epitomises this approach by enabling the sector to tackle key industry challenges that could unlock new domestic and global markets.
“Hycel’s total program value is more than 20 million dollars, and this investment in hydrogen and in regional Victoria demonstrates Deakin’s continued investment in our Warrnambool campus.”
Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, said, “The Hycel Hydrogen Technology Hub will be critical to accelerating the development of a Victorian renewable hydrogen sector, as we seize the regional jobs and economic opportunities this emerging technology presents.”
Victorian Minister for Skills and Tafe, Gayle Tierney, said that the world-class facility in Warrnambool demonstrates that regional Victoria stands to benefit most from the ambitious renewable energy agenda.
Member for Western Victoria, Jacinta Ermacora, said, “Renewable hydrogen will be critical to reaching our net zero targets, and the Hycel Hydrogen Technology Hub is a vital step in that journey.”
New hydrogen micro-credentials
To further power Australia’s clean energy future through hydrogen, Deakin University and Engineers Australia, through Engineering Education Australia (EEA), will launch a suite of hydrogen energy micro-credentials to upskill the engineering workforce.
The collaborative project aims to address a severe talent shortage in the hydrogen and engineering sectors, critical to the nation’s clean energy goals.
Supported by funding from the Federal Government through the Local Jobs Program, the project includes four micro-credentials and one webinar:
- Handling Hydrogen for Engineers
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell Operation, Safety and Maintenance
- Hydrogen Electrolysers
- Hydrogen in the Built Environment
- Hydrogen and Social Responsibility for Engineers (Webinar)
The training suite aims to bridge knowledge gaps for professionals across energy, transport, planning, water and government sectors, equipping them with the necessary skills to safely and effectively advance the hydrogen economy.
Head of EEA, Joel Evans, said that research shows a severe talent shortage in hydrogen engineering that is impacting Australia’s path to net zero.
“These micro-credentials can bridge that gap by equipping engineers with the skills they need,” Mr Evans said.
“Partnering with Deakin University allows us to offer practical, industry-focused education to support the profession’s leading role in Australia’s shift to clean energy.”
The project was initiated in 2022 when researchers from Hycel and the School of Engineering began investigating the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for developing a safe, reliable hydrogen engineering workforce.
EEA said that findings from a comprehensive literature review and interviews indicated a critical need for hydrogen engineering curricula focused on building technical knowledge and skills, that – importantly – was co-designed with industry to capture the perspectives of real-world hydrogen practitioners.
Professor Walsh said that Deakin is delighted to partner with EEA to upskill engineers for the growing domestic hydrogen economy.
“This builds on Deakin’s track record in hydrogen education, including in primary and secondary schools, with our TAFE partners in vocational training, for emergency response workers, and now for engineers to confidently design, plan, build and operate hydrogen systems.”
The project is now underway and is scheduled for completion by 30 June 2025.
Image credit: dee karen/shutterstock.com
