Low-cost Hydrogen Generator based on Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis Technology – HydroPEM

Over the past decades, the European Commission has been actively supporting the development of alternative energy carriers such as molecular hydrogen (H2) inside the European Union (EU). In this so-called “hydrogen economy”, H2 would be used (next to electricity) to accelerate EU’s decarbonisation objectives for transport. In this context, the interest for hydrogen (and in particular for water electrolysis processes) is rapidly growing. To date, electrolytic H2 is predominantly produced using either the alkaline or the proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis technology. PEM technology offers significant advantages over its alkaline counterpart such as higher energy efficiency, higher compactness, better reliability. However, it still suffers from higher investment costs, largely due to the use of platinum-group metals as catalysts. The objective of the HydroPEM project is the development of a low-cost PEM hydrogen generator operating at elevated current densities to deliver pure hydrogen at 500 liter per hour. This generator will be developed from a patented technology using no noble-metal catalysts, owned by the HydroPEM consortium, and for which lab-scale proof-of-concepts have already been established. The consortium will also capitalize on a long-term experience gained in the field of water electrolysis and know-how acquired over the last decades in the course of national and international research projects. The support of the French ANR is required to demonstrate the potential of this low-cost technology at the prototype scale and to organize the technology transfer to industrial actors acting in the field of PEM water electrolysis technology.