FPR Energy, a recent venture from CSIRO, has secured $15 million in seed funding to commercialise the next solar thermal technology that will help reduce industrial emissions accounting for 20% of Australia’s annual carbon footprint.

The technology uses abundant and low-cost ceramic particles to store sunlight as heat, enabling long-duration energy storage to support industrial processes, green fuel production and reliable, dispatchable power.

“FPR Energy is building on years of solar thermal research, demonstrating CSIRO’s commitment to supporting emissions reduction using impact-focussed science and technology,” CSIRO energy technologies research director Daniel Roberts says.

“Helping heavy industries to transition to cleaner energy sources is essential to reaching Australia’s net-zero emission targets. Diversifying how we harness Australia’s abundant solar resources will help develop a low-carbon economy and support economic growth and job creation in the Hunter region.”

FPR Energy aims to cut emissions in heavy industries such as minerals refining, steel, cement and chemical production using CSIRO’s particle-based ‘Concentrated Solar Thermal’ technology, capable of producing temperatures up to 1,200^o, an industry first.

The company was launched in collaboration with global advisory and funds management firm RFC Ambrian and utilities leader Osaka Gas, raising the largest seed funding for a CSIRO co-founded venture to date.

FPR Energy is now planning to develop a 50MW thermal demonstration plant with up to 16 hours of integrated thermal energy storage. The plant aims to prove the commercial viability of FPR Energy’s CST technology at a utility-scale.