Osaka Gas, a major Japanese utility, has co-invested in a new spinoff from CSIRO that is developing next-generation concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology.
The technology has the potential to cut emissions in heavy industries such as minerals refining, steel, cement and chemical production. These emissions account for 20% of Australia’s annual carbon footprint.
Australian startup FPR Energy was established in 2023 by CSIRO in collaboration with Osaka Gas and global advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian. The venture raised A$15 million, the largest seed funding for a CSIRO co-founded venture to date.
A next-generation energy storage technology
The CST technology uses ceramic particles to store sunlight as heat and is capable of reaching temperatures up to 1,200°C – an industry first. This enables long-duration energy storage to support industrial processes, green fuel production and reliable, dispatchable power.
FPR Energy plans to develop a 50 MW thermal demonstration plant, with up to 16 hours of integrated thermal energy storage. The plant aims to prove the commercial viability of the CST technology at a utility scale.
Looking ahead, FPR Energy plans to expand the technology to other high-solar regions worldwide, including North and South America, the Middle East and Africa.
Osaka Gas has been operating in Australia for several years, offering energy, heat and electricity solutions tailored for the Australian resources sector.
‘Through our history, we have been contributing to low carbonisation by switching heat sources from coal, fuel oil to gas with efficient energy solutions,’ says Hiroki Tanaka, Head of Next-generation Business Development Department of Osaka Gas.
‘We are thrilled to bring our knowledge to help FPR Energy to create real-life solutions for industrial customers.’
FPR Energy’s CST technology provides cost-effective, zero-emissions energy that is created and stored sustainably.
Innovative energy storage solutions
Australia is transforming its energy systems to meet its target of 82% renewable energy in the Australian grid by 2030. We are working on a pipeline of energy storage and transmission projects to grow generation capacity and manage intermittent supply.
International companies are investing in innovative energy storage projects in Australia, including:
- Mars Petcare will install a new A$39.3 million solar thermal plant to power its manufacturing operations. It will be the first commercial deployment of parabolic trough CST technology in Australia.
- US-based ESS and Australia’s ESI are building a A$70 million facility to assemble large-scale iron flow batteries. ESI is trialling an iron flow battery system at Queensland energy provider Stanwell Corporation’s Future Energy and Innovation Training Hub.
- Canadian clean energy company Hydrostor will build the Silver City Energy Storage Centre in Broken Hill, New South Wales. It is an Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage project capable of 200 MW generation for 8 hours duration (1600 MWh).
Australia also offers advanced energy storage solutions. Battery technology company Thorion Energy has developed a chloride-based vanadium electrolyte that can hold around 70% more power as compared to other vanadium chemistries.
How Austrade helped
Austrade has been providing Osaka Gas with regular updates on Australia’s renewable energy and hydrogen industries, including information about programs such as ARENA’s A$40 million funding for next-generation solar technology. Austrade has also invited Osaka Gas to clean energy seminars and the Decarbonisation Summit in Australia. Additionally, we have organised meetings for Osaka Gas with stakeholders in the Australian renewable energy and hard-to-abate industries.
More about the renewable energy sector
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