Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre

Name

Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre

Legal name

Future Fuels CRC Limited

Website

https://futurefuelscrc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Research and Development

NAICS

Natural Gas Distribution (221210)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Natural Gas Transmission (4922)

akta.pro primary industry

Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biomass Carbon Removal & Storage (BECCS/Bioenergy with CO₂ Capture) (EUABAFAB), Carbon Neutrality/Claims Strategy & Communications (claims substantiation, greenwashing risk) (EUABAKAK)

Keywords

• Renewable gas research
• Hydrogen pipeline testing
• Biomethane injection standards
• Pipeline integrity management
• Future fuels R&D

Headquarters

HQ city

Wollongong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: Future Fuels CRC operates as a Commonwealth-supported Cooperative Research Centre. Funding comes from Commonwealth government grants combined with contributions from industry participants and partners. The CRC completed its 7-year Commonwealth supported term in July 2025, succeeded by Gas Infrastructure Research Australia (GIRA).
2. Software Licensing - EPDECOM: Licensing of EPDECOM fracture control software for pipeline fracture control calculations. License fees: AUD$600 (excluding GST) for 3-month license. Maximum 3 concurrent user logins per license, installable on up to 3 devices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Future Fuels CRC conducted collaborative research and development supporting decarbonisation of Australia's energy networks through future fuels including hydrogen, biomethane, ammonia and synthetic fuels. As a Commonwealth-supported Cooperative Research Centre, it delivered 118 research projects over a 7-year term across three research programs: Future Fuel Technologies Systems and Markets; Social Acceptance, Public Safety and Security of Supply; and Network Lifecycle Management. It monetised outputs via Commonwealth and industry-participant research funding and through licensing the EPDECOM fracture control software.

Product overview

Future Fuels CRC is a research organisation focused on enabling the decarbonisation of Australia's energy networks through future fuels such as hydrogen, biomethane, and ammonia. The organisation does not operate a unified commercial software product but offers several distinct offerings: EPDECOM Software (a licensed fracture control software tool for calculating minimum linepipe toughness for arrest toughness); the SAFE(TI) Lab (a hydrogen testing research facility); HyResource (an information resource on hydrogen); and the AS 2885 Online Reference Platform (a standards knowledge wiki). The majority of their output consists of publicly available research reports, technical guidelines, and project outcomes rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EPDECOM Software (Version 2.0) Licensed fracture control software that calculates the minimum linepipe toughness (arrest toughness) required to arrest a running fracture, incorporating components of the GERG-2008 equation of state. Sold to pipeline companies and engineering consultancies on a 3-month subscription license (AUD$600 excluding GST, max 3 concurrent user logins, up to 3 devices).
• SAFE(TI) Lab - Structural Assessment of Future Energy Transport Infrastructure Laboratory Testing laboratory for characterising linepipe steels exposed to high-pressure gaseous hydrogen, including a universal testing machine capable of deforming specimens at very slow strain rates and a pressure vessel capable of creating hydrogen environments with partial pressures up to 137 bar. Used to quantify hydrogen embrittlement effects on line pipe steels for Australian pipeline operators.
• HyResource Knowledge resource providing information about hydrogen technologies and applications to support Australia's energy transition, offered via the Future Fuels CRC website.
• AS 2885 Online Reference Platform Wiki-style online platform providing a one-stop reference and community for finding answers about AS 2885 pipeline standards, featuring documents, discussions and references for pipeline engineers and standards users.
• Collaborative Future Fuels Research Programs (Future Fuel Technologies Systems and Markets; Social Acceptance, Public Safety and Security of Supply; Network Lifecycle Management) Industry-participant-funded collaborative research programs covering technical, commercial and market barriers to future fuels; the social, policy and safety context of energy transition; and the full lifecycle of pipeline network infrastructure for low-carbon fuels. Sold to gas network operators, energy producers, equipment manufacturers, regulators and academic partners through industry-participant membership and Commonwealth co-funding.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• University of WollongongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic partner hosting the CRC headquarters at Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences. Leads SAFE(TI) Lab development, hydrogen embrittlement research, fracture mechanics studies, and pipeline material testing. Major contributor to molecular dynamics, fracture propagation, and hydrogen pipeline research programs.
• Deakin UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in pipeline corrosion control technology development including prototyping of new corrosion monitoring systems, coating damage assessment, and hydrogen embrittlement studies. Hosts testing facilities for plastic pipe materials and hydrostatic pressure testing.
• University of MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for biomethane impurities research, internal coating development for pipeline repurposing, and cohesive gas impurities studies. Contributed to AS 4564 standard revision research on siloxane contaminants in biomethane.
• APA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Australian energy infrastructure company (APA Group, ASX: APA) is a frequent industry research partner across hydrogen pipeline testing, trenchless rehabilitation technology, coating systems, and biomethane projects. Provides pipeline materials and operational expertise.
• JemenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGas distribution network operator and industry partner in hydrogen blending studies, elastomers testing, third party damage control research, and pipeline fitness-for-service assessments. Contributes operational data and testing scenarios.
• Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Australian gas distribution company partnering on hydrogen embrittlement studies, fracture toughness research, fitness-for-service assessments, and biomethane compatibility studies.
• GPA EngineeringmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering consultancy partner contributing to hydrogen pipeline code of practice development, fracture propagation modeling, tensile strain capacity research, and ammonia pipeline safety studies.
• University of QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for hydrogen embrittlement studies, fracture toughness orientation dependence, gas phase inhibition research, and thermite welding studies for pipeline cathodic protection.
• SantosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Australian oil and gas producer partnering on cohesive gas impurities research, biomethane studies, fitness-for-service assessments, and gas phase inhibition of hydrogen embrittlement.
• Origin EnergymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company partner in biomethane impurities research and cohesive gas impurities studies for coal seam gas pipeline applications.
• University of AdelaidemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for metering and gas quality monitoring of future fuel blends, ammonia pipeline dispersion studies, and biomethane impurities research.
• Corrosion Control Engineering (CCE)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCorrosion engineering consultancy partner in keyhole coating damage treatment, closed-loop CP control systems, inspection techniques for unpiggable pipelines, and coating validation testing.
• ATCOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian-based energy infrastructure company operating in Australia, partner in squeeze off reinforcement clamps assessment and elastomers in hydrogen research.
• Energy Safe VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictorian energy safety regulator partner in coating damage and hydrogen embrittlement risks, pipeline abandonment methodologies, and hydrogen pipeline code of practice development.
• Worley/AdvisianmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor engineering consultancy partner across hydrogen ready pipeline definitions, ammonia pipeline studies, fitness-for-service assessments, and fracture initiation modeling.
• SEA GasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatural gas transmission pipeline operator partner in gas phase inhibition research, fracture toughness studies, elastomers testing, and smart sign technology for easement monitoring.
• AusNet ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictorian energy network operator partner in keyhole coating damage treatment, inspection techniques for unpiggable pipelines, and hydrogen plastic pipe test bed research.
• Epic EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPipeline operator partner in smart sign technology for easement interference monitoring, cohesive gas impurities research, and metering systems for hydrogen blends.
• First Gas New ZealandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand gas network operator contributing to hydrogen pipeline code of practice development and international standards alignment.
• Griffith UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in hydrogen embrittlement studies including subcritical and critical crack growth analysis.
• EvoEnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT electricity and gas utility partner in hydrogen test bed for plastic pipe network research.
• Australian Pipeline Gas Association (APGA)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry association partner in bi-directional potential excursions on cathodic protection research and Hydrogen Pipeline Code of Practice adoption. APGA formally adopted the Code of Practice for Hydrogen Pipeline Systems in May 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gas Technology Institute (GTI): GTI is a US-based gas industry R&D organization that, like Future Fuels CRC, develops pipeline safety standards, materials testing, and decarbonization research for natural gas utilities. Both organizations monetize research outputs via membership, software, and standards work targeted at gas network operators.
• Energy Pipelines CRC: Energy Pipelines CRC was the predecessor entity whose program and report archive underpin Future Fuels CRC's pipeline-integrity focus. It conducted similar cooperative pipeline R&D for Australian gas transmission operators and is the most directly comparable Australian pipeline-research cooperative.
• Gas Infrastructure Research Australia (GIRA): GIRA is the industry-led research organization that directly succeeds Future Fuels CRC, continuing its mandate on renewable gas and hydrogen infrastructure R&D in Australia. Both organizations target Australian gas network operators with research, standards, and integrity-testing capabilities.
• HyDeploy: HyDeploy is a UK hydrogen blending demonstration project that conducts research on hydrogen injection into gas distribution networks, including materials compatibility and end-use appliance testing. It is comparable to Future Fuels CRC's hydrogen test bed work on plastic pipe networks and biomethane/hydrogen blending studies.

Regional players

• Northern Gas Networks (HyNet North West): Northern Gas Networks operates the UK's HyNet hydrogen network project, conducting R&D on hydrogen pipeline conversion, blending, and end-use safety. It mirrors Future Fuels CRC's gas distribution operator perspective on transitioning networks to renewable fuels but is UK rather than Australia focused.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): NREL is the US Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research. While much broader than Future Fuels CRC, it conducts related research on hydrogen production, storage, transport, and biomethane systems that overlap with the CRC's renewable gas mandate.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): CSIRO is Australia's national science agency and conducts broader renewable energy, hydrogen, and bioenergy research including the Hydrogen Industry Mission. While CSIRO has a much wider portfolio and serves more end-markets, it directly overlaps with Future Fuels CRC on hydrogen production pathways and biomethane research in Australia.
• National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL): NETL is the US Department of Energy's national laboratory for fossil energy and decarbonization research, with major programs on hydrogen pipelines, biomethane, and carbon capture. It is comparable to Future Fuels CRC as a federally-backed research organization addressing pipeline integrity and renewable gas standards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre