Michelin backs AEM electrolysers to combine the best of PEM and alkaline technologies
Global tyre manufacturer Michelin will develop anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysers in a bid to combine “the best of both worlds” of PEM and alkaline electrolysis.
Under a new four-year partnership with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble Institute of Technology and Savoie Mont Blanc University, Michelin will participate in the development of AEM technology.
The partnership will be led by AlcalHylab, the tenth joint research laboratory between Michelin and the CNRS. Jacques Maddaluno, Director of CNRS Chemistry said it’s another “illustration of the mutual trust between [the] two institutions.”
Together, the partners aim to develop next-generation materials using abundant elements found in the Earth’s crust. Notably, AEM technology is valued for its elimination of precious metals in the electrolysis process.
Philippe Briand, President of Savoie Mont Blanc University, added, “Alongside our partners, we support the activities of the Electrochemistry and Physicochemistry of Materials and Interfaces Laboratory (LEPMI) for developing next-generation materials to be used in AEM water electrolysers.”
The hydrogen market is currently dominated by alkaline and PEM electrolyser technologies, although new solutions such as AEM and solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) have emerged.
But these newer technologies remain immature, making investors hesitant to back unproven solutions.
This challenge was highlighted by Deepak Bawa in a recent H2 View webinar on electrolysis.
Discussing investor priorities, Splitwaters’ CEO stated, “If you’re an investor, you want to back a project with minimal technological risk. For anything above 100MW, clients prefer alkaline – and in some cases, PEM.”
However, Bawa noted that within three to five years, new technologies like AEM and SOEC could gain investor confidence as longer-term performance data provides clarity on degradation rates and efficiency.
Bosch to start electrolyser parts production, eyes billions in hydrogen revenue
BERLIN (Reuters) – Bosch will begin producing electrolyser components for hydrogen production, expecting its hydrogen business to generate billions of euros in revenue by 2030, the company said on Wednesday.
Germany wants to expand reliance on hydrogen as a future energy source to cut greenhouse gas emissions for highly polluting industrial sectors that cannot be electrified such as steel and chemicals and cut dependency on imported fossil fuel.
Electrolysers, which use energy to split hydrogen from water, are key to making hydrogen. Bosch plans to use its fuel-cell expertise and large-scale production experience to make hydrogen more efficiently and at lower cost.
At the Hanover industry fair, Bosch said it would showcase two new Hybrion PEM electrolysis stacks it will start producing in partnership with industrial equipment supplier FEST with a full system output of 2.5 megawatts.
Markus Heyn, chairman of Bosch Mobility, said in a statement.
Hydrogen is a strategic growth field for Bosch – we expect sales revenue to run into the billions by 2030,
The Hybrion stacks will initially be manufactured at a factory in the southern city of Bamberg with the official sale of the components starting in April. Bosch has already received orders of around 100 megawatts, it added.
Advent Technologies receives Go-Ahead from Airbus for Phase Two of Joint Benchmarking Project
LIVERMORE, Calif., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADN), an innovation-driven leader in the fuel cell and hydrogen technology space, is pleased to announce that it has received the go-ahead decision from Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer, to proceed with Phase Two of the parties’ joint benchmarking project for an optimized Ion Pair™ Membrane Electrode Assembly (“MEA”) for hydrogen fuel cells. Having demonstrated continued improvement in Ion Pair™ MEA performance in Phase One, the parties seek to further optimize performance in Phase Two.
Advent has invested in people, materials, hardware, and 3rd party research centers, to contribute to the goals of the project. The collaboration enters Phase Two immediately. The parties are also in related discussions about sharing know-how, fuel cell stack design, recommendations on balance of plant materials and components, and fuel cell test stations.
The goal of the project is to accelerate the development of Advent’s MEA and benchmark the Ion Pair MEA against aviation requirements and current/expected technological limits.
HT-PEM MEAs operating at temperatures higher than 180 °C (360°F) aim to solve one of the largest challenges in aviation fuel cell use: thermal management. High-temperature fuel cells allow increased performance, increased passenger carrying capability, and increased range compared to low-temperature fuel cell stack technology. Advent believes that HT-PEM is a superior option not only for aviation, but also for heavy-duty trucks, the automotive industry and marine use.
The project focuses on the needs for future hydrogen-fueled planes, while at the same time having the potential of significantly reducing the weight and volume of the powertrain system through a simplified balance of plant and cooling subsystems.
Dr. Emory De Castro, Chief Technology Officer of Advent Technologies, commented,
We are pleased to announce the second phase of our project with Airbus.
“Both companies recognize the vast potential for fuel cell powered jet propulsion systems and the realistic goal of hydrogen flight. We look forward to continuing this revolutionary work with Airbus.”
