Australian clean energy company Endua today unveiled the first of its purpose-built standalone hydrogen power banks. Endua’s flagship power bank is designed to close the gap in microgrid applications, where the need for reliable power means reliance on emissions-heavy energy production such as diesel generators.
The energy storage system, which uses advanced hydrogen technology and will serve as a platform for testing, is located in the Brisbane suburb of Archerfield, which is also home to Endua’s headquarters. The modular power banks, each approximately 6M long and 3M wide, will drive power loads of up to 100kW per unit — enough to power a water pump, farm shed or standalone telecom infrastructure. This renewable energy is stored as hydrogen and then converted back to electricity by fuel cells, while the modularity allows for solutions to be scaled according to on-site demand.
“To store and use hydrogen like a battery, you need to convert water and renewable energy to hydrogen with an electrolyser, store hydrogen until it’s needed and then convert it back to electricity using a fuel cell. Our power banks plug a critical gap in achieving the clean energy transition and stabilising power when the grid can not be relied on — especially in our regional and remote power communities — generating enough stored hydrogen to replace diesel for off-grid power generation at any site such as a cattle farm or power communications equipment operating at the edge,” says Paul Sernia, CEO and Founder of Endua.
Globally, renewable energy made up 29 per cent of electricity generation in 2020, and this is anticipated to grow to more than half the market by 2050. Yet, renewable energy sources come with their limitations, especially when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. Traditionally, distributed renewables need support from on demand generation such as gas, diesel generators and batteries, stabilising and supplementing power when energy isn’t being generated.
“The challenge with this process is two-fold. Diesel and gas generators produce heavy emissions, require significant ongoing operational costs to maintain and are dependent on fuel supply chain and pricing, while existing battery technology only makes sense for a few hours worth of energy and is therefore unable to meet the requirements for a 100% renewable future. How else can you reliably run for multiple days without incurring emissions?” adds Sernia.
After founding the company in 2021, Endua has used its chemical and mechanical engineering expertise to inform its novel power bank design, materials selection and advanced manufacturing to design a highly optimised system that can be delivered as a commercially viable proposition. Endua’s in-house manufacturing capabilities and strategic partnerships, including with Ampol, will ensure a resilient supply chain.
“In Australia alone, $1.5B is spent each year on diesel fuel for electricity generation in remote and rural areas. Net-zero and the power industry aren’t mutually exclusive and creating a decarbonised economy requires new ways of working. Our power banks mean we can decouple standalone and microgrid power systems from fossil fuel generated diesel and provide a cheaper long-term solution than batteries,” explains Sernia.
The showcase of its power bank comes just weeks after the company announced it has raised more than $11.8 million to scale its clean hydrogen power solutions. Among Endua’s investors are Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), Melt Ventures, 77 Partners — as well as founding partners including Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO and its deep tech fund, Main Sequence, and the country’s largest fuel network, Ampol.
Originally published by Endua.
