Home - Australian Hydrogen Researcher Network

Welcome to the home of the AHRN, the Australian Hydrogen Research Network. The organisation was established in 2021 and incorporated as a non-profit public company in 2023. The AHRN is the community of researchers and interested stakeholders supporting the emerging hydrogen industry in Australia. We foster excellence in hydrogen-related research through an ongoing program of seminars and knowledge-sharing activities. By providing thought leadership, advocacy, and research tools, the AHRN offers its members domestic networking opportunities as well as access to international collaborations.

Upcoming Events

Monday 28th April - Tuesday 29th April

What you need to know about hydrogen

A 2-day online course presented by the AHRN for those who want to understand the role of research in the technologies, economics and cross-cutting issues associated with the hydrogen industry.

Over the past 5 years hydrogen has emerged in Australia as one of the key means of addressing climate change. A National Hydrogen Strategy was launched in 2019 and revised in 2024. Beyond the headlines, there is often little understanding of the challenges posed by the nascent ‘hydrogen industry’ which can lead to over-promise in what can be achieved. According to the International Energy Agency, only 4% of proposed green hydrogen production projects have reached final investment decision (FID)[1].

This course is targeted at PhD students and early career researchers who may be involved in hydrogen related research. It will also appeal to engineers and other professionals associated with the hydrogen industry who want to know how to understand some of the fundamental challenges that hydrogen faces and how scientific and engineering research can help address them.

Learn what you neeed to know about hydrogen from some of the leading Australian researchers in the hydrogen field and join in the panel discussion to help support the industry.

[1] International Energy Agency, Global Hydrogen Review 2024, https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2024.

Webinar 6th May 10.30-12:00 AEST

Public Safety Assurance in the Energy Transition

Public safety assurance in the energy transition requires effective management of sociotechnical risk. This session, based on the outputs of RP2.3-08, introduces the SOTEC Framework – social, organizational, technical, epistemic and cultural sources of risk to explain what sociotechnical risks are, and how they might best be managed.

Past technology transition failures such as Chernobyl, Challenger, Titan, the pink bats insulation scheme and California’s energy policy have lessons for the energy transition that can be drawn out using SOTEC.

Speakers: Prof Jan Hayes, RMIT Prof Sarah Maslen, University of Canberra

Panel: Michael Malavazos, South Australian Government and Craig Clarke, APA Group

This event is being organised in association with the Future Fuels Cooperative Resarch Centre and is open to everyone.

AHRC2024 Outcome report

The second Australian Hydrogen Research Conference (AHRC2024) was held from 4th to 6th September 2024 in Perth, Western Australia. A short report on the conference can be downloaded here: AHRC2024report.

Open PhD position: Development of Efficient Magnetocaloric Materials for Hydrogen Liquefaction

A fully funded PhD position (AUD 34K) is available in the School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia starting in January 2025. The project focuses on the development of magnetocaloric materials for hydrogen liquefaction. This cutting-edge research aims to enhance the efficiency of hydrogen liquefaction processes, a crucial step in the future of clean energy. More information is available here.

International Research Fellowships

The International Hydrogen Research Fellowship Program supports research in areas of critical national importance, by providing the opportunity for early to mid-career researchers in Australia to partner with researchers overseas.

All fellowship spaces are now filled for the Program reaching our target of 35 fellows doing research in world class labs overseas.

International Research Delegations

The International Collaboration for Hydrogen Research led delegations for Australia's researchers to learn more about hydrogen activities in other countries. In 2022, research delegations went to Germany, France, Japan, UK and the USA. During 2023, delegations visited Singapore, Republic of Korea and India. Further delegations are being planned later in 2024. Read more about these delegations.