Monash University Malaysia secures USD1m hydrogen grant
Monash University Malaysia has secured a USD 1 million grant from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for a three-year project to develop practical tools that can help industries, investors and policymakers assess the technical and financial viability of hydrogen as a pathway to industrial decarbonisation.
The project, Industrial Decarbonisation through Hydrogen Technology, brings together researchers from Monash University Malaysia’s School of Engineering, Centre for Net-Zero Technology, and School of Business, combining expertise in hydrogen technologies, engineering systems, economics, finance and policy.
Led by Professor Ir Dr Chong Meng Nan, the project will examine green and blue hydrogen pathways, with a focus on helping stakeholders understand the technical feasibility, costs, financing requirements and risks associated with different approaches to hydrogen-based industrial decarbonisation.
As industries face increasing pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining competitiveness and energy security, the transition to lower-carbon operations presents both technological and financial challenges. Hydrogen has the potential to support the decarbonisation of industrial processes that can be difficult to electrify, but its adoption depends on factors including technology readiness, cost, infrastructure, financing and policy conditions.
“Securing this grant is an important milestone that recognises the strength of our multidisciplinary approach in the Centre for Net-Zero Technology and the School of Engineering to the energy transition. Through this collaboration, we aim to bridge hydrogen technology, economics and finance to develop practical solutions that can reduce the cost and risk of industrial decarbonisation, while creating approaches that can be scaled and replicated across Malaysia and ASEAN,” said Professor Ir. Dr Chong Meng Nan, Project Lead and Principal Investigator.
The School of Engineering and Centre for Net-Zero Technology will assess hydrogen technologies, systems, technical feasibility, economics, scalability and decarbonisation potential. The School of Business, represented by Dr Kazeem, will contribute expertise in economic and financial assessment, investment strategies, green finance and policy incentives.
This multidisciplinary approach recognises that decarbonisation is not only a technological challenge, but also an economic and financial one. While engineering expertise helps determine whether different hydrogen pathways are technically feasible, business expertise helps assess how these pathways can become financially viable, reduce investment risk and attract investors.
The funding will support the development, validation and application of the technology and financial toolkits, including data collection, modelling and scenario analysis. The project will also engage industry and policymakers to ensure the tools respond to real-world needs and support practical decisions around hydrogen investment and industrial decarbonisation.
The team aims to deliver practical, validated, and replicable tools to help industry, policymakers, and investors identify feasible, cost-effective, and lower-risk hydrogen pathways. The project seeks to reduce uncertainty around hydrogen adoption, support investment, and accelerate industrial decarbonisation, using approaches that can be adapted across Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.
The project commenced on 1 July 2026 and is based at Monash University Malaysia, with research and engagement activities taking place across Malaysia, the wider ASEAN region and internationally.