Melbourne hydrogen tech innovator says new platform can lower costs and pair easily with wind and solar

Melbourne headquartered clean technology innovator Cavendish Renewable Technologies has unveiled an advanced hybrid electrolysis platform that it says will address cost, complexity, and efficiency barriers in the adoption of green hydrogen.

Cavendish, which was founded in 2021, unveiled its C-Cell electrolyser on Monday to address some of the persistent barriers facing large-scale adoption of green hydrogen, including skyrocketing costs and integration complexity – issues that are leading many such projects to stall.

The C-Cell is based around a proprietary ultra-thin ceramic membrane electrolyte which delivers a high surface area for oxygen evolution, improved ionic conductivity, and long-term stability at high temperatures.

Combining the strengths of solid oxide and alkaline technologies, the C-Cell introduces what the company calls a “radical redesign of electrolyser architecture” that they say delivers increased energy performance, reduced capital and operating costs, and wide-ranging compatibility with renewable power sources.

“A lot of solutions have been proposed, but very few deliver where it truly matters – on both performance and cost,” said Dr. Aniruddha Kulkarni, the CEO of Cavendish Renewable Technology.

“With C-Cell, we’re not proposing anything that contradicts the laws of thermodynamics or depends on speculative science. It’s simply an elegant way of utilising internally generated heat during electrolysis to significantly reduce electrical energy input – without needing any external thermal source.

“What makes this particularly remarkable is that comparable performance has only been achievable with solid oxide electrolysis systems operating above 800°C – a range that introduces serious challenges around heat integration and long-term material stability, which the industry has yet to solve reliably.

“C-Cell delivers similar benefits at a fraction of the temperature, with far greater practicality and scalability.”

The company says its green hydrogen production system is capable of operating at 100–150°C without the need for external heat sources and “achieving up to 41.5 kWh/kg-H₂ efficiency at stack level under real-world current densities”. The system also minimises balance of plant requirements while helping to simplify installation and easy scale-up.

The proprietary membrane does not require high-cost fabrication techniques, and the C-Cell’s streamlined stack design and simpler overall system all help to reduce upfront costs. Similarly, fewer moving parts, increased durability, and a reduced requirement for thermal management help to cut lifecycle costs.

The C-Cell is also suitable to be paired with solar and wind energy, thanks to its independently controlled modules which allow for precise turndown and intermittent operation.

According to Cavendish, the C-Cell’s modular stack configuration also allows for finer load control and voltage flexibility, resulting in efficient direct coupling to DC solar power systems with minimal conversion losses.

It can operate during brief windows of low or negative energy pricing, and high-purity hydrogen gas output even at low loads.

In addition to its suitability to be paired with renewable power sources, the C-Cell’s membrane-electrode structure also opens the door for it to be used other applications such as flow batteries, fuel cells, and even CO2-to-fuels electrolysis for the creation of synthetic hydrocarbons and industrial feedstocks.