Fortescue has acquired an equal ownership stake in Sparc Hydrogen, a green hydrogen technology venture, and has committed to piloting a novel green hydrogen production technique in Adelaide later this year. The initiative by Sparc Hydrogen intends to commercialize technology that produces green hydrogen directly from sunlight, leveraging research from the University of Adelaide and Flinders University. Despite previous cutbacks in its green hydrogen plans, including job layoffs and project delays, Fortescue is doubling down on the venture. The investment from Fortescue will be used to scale the splitting of water molecules directly from sunlight using advanced photocatalyst materials. Stage one testing took place in 2023, and stage two will see Fortescue and Sparc Technologies each investing additional funds. The technology aims to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production by eliminating the need for electrolysers and extensive infrastructure. This move signifies Fortescue's commitment to green energy solutions, even after scaling back some of its previous green hydrogen projects. The company is also progressing with its PEM50 green hydrogen facility in Gladstone and a green iron trial project in Western Australia. These investments highlight Fortescue's dedication to sustainable energy production and innovation in the green hydrogen sector.