Ensuring Warrnambool's $20 million nation-leading hydrogen fuel cell project stays at the forefront of research is its new director's first priority.
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Born and raised in Warrnambool, professor Tiffany Walsh has stepped into the lead role as director at Deakin University's Hycel hydrogen hub.
The professor of materials science at the university's Waurn Ponds campus said she'd come "full circle" after being raised in the coastal town.
"I joined as Hycel's director this month, but I've been part of the project's wider community since its inception in 2020," she said.
"I was also the director of research at Hycel from 2021 until quite recently.
"To reconnect with Warrnambool is great, and I want to make sure we get a great slice of the prosperity hydrogen will bring to south-west Victoria."
To do that, she said she had three main priorities moving forward.
"As a team what we're going to do is refresh the strategic direction of the Hycel program to make sure we're being responsive to national and regional needs which change over time," professor Walsh said.
"The government recently announced they're currently consulting on a refreshed national hydrogen strategy which we'll be informing as part of the consultation process.
"But you can see even nationally there's movement here to ensure our priorities are still the relevant ones given everything's happening quite quickly.
"Secondly, the team at Hycel - during this three year period where we've been ramping up our activities - has generated so many runs on the board in terms of nationally recognised achievements in fuel cells, in gas pipelines and in education and training and social licence, so one of my priorities is to build on and enhance those accomplishments.
"The third priority is listening to industry, government, community and our traditional owners to understand what the hydrogen challenges are for each of these sectors and connecting them with Deakin's hydrogen research capabilities.
"That'll help us co-create research development training and community programs which will benefit south-west Victoria but also Australia more broadly."
She said the team expected to move into the new facility in early 2024 and would work on future applications of the technology.
"There's great potential for the production of green hydrogen so it can be used to make green chemicals like ammonia for fertilisers or methanol used to fuel vehicles including ships," Professor Walsh said.
"It's expected it'll play a pretty big role in the maritime industry."
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Jessica Greenan
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
Journalist at The Warrnambool Standard covering both Moyne Shire and Corangamite Shire Council. Sometimes court. Special interest in all things environment.
