New Energies, new possibilities

Indian and Singaporean start-up Hydgen has raised $1.5m to scale its decentralised AEM green hydrogen production technology to meet demand in small and mid-sized industries.

The seed round, led by Cloudberry Pioneer Investments, saw participation from the National University of Singapore (NUS), TK & Partners, and angel investors.

The funding will support the development of a 2MW manufacturing facility in India to scale production of its AEM electrolysers, develop a 25kW single-stack system, and begin expanding across India and Southeast Asia.

By focusing on decentralised, on-site production for small- to mid-size industries, the start-up says it can eliminate transportation costs, storage risks and emissions, “offering industries a resilient, self-sufficient alternative” to traditional hydrogen sourcing.

Hydgen Chairman, Michael Gryseels, said, “Our technology makes hydrogen production local, cost-effective and scalable – empowering industries to take control of their energy needs.

“This funding marks a crucial step in our journey to scale production and make green hydrogen an everyday reality for more industries worldwide.”

The AEM technology is based on “triple proprietary innovations,” which Hydgen says delivers increased current density, increased stability and lower CAPEX. AEM is being looked at as the next key electrolysis technology, taking the advantages of alkaline and PEM to offer a safer and cheaper alternative. However, still in infancy, the technology faces durability challenges before becoming widespread.

Having spun out of an NUS programme, Hydgen says its catalyst and coating designs increase hydrogen production by a factor of 2.5 and reduce electricity consumption by up to 20%, compared to “other AEM electrolyser systems currently on the market.”

Mahir Sahin, Managing Partner of Cloudberry Pioneer Investments, described the technology as a “game-changer.”

“[The] technology has the potential to drive cost-effective adoption in high-demand regions.”

As larger green hydrogen projects have stalled amid high costs and demand uncertainty, more established electrolyser makers are expecting smaller-scale projects to make up the majority of their near-term demand. https://www.h2-view.com/story/aem-start-up-raises-1-5m-to-meet-decentralised-smaller-scale-hydrogen-demand/2121843.article/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Daily%20Hydrogen%20Highlights&utm_content=Daily%20Daily%20Hydrogen%20Highlights+CID_65aabc6b510f2f06f647013369ee40f8&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=AEM%20start-up%20raises%2015m%20to%20meet%20decentralised%20smaller-scale%20hydrogen%20demand

Bosch will cease development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as it focuses efforts of PEM-based hydrogen production technologies amid slow market development for stationary hydrogen solutions.

The Germany tech giant, which had partnered with UK-based solid oxide hydrogen technology licensor Ceres to develop its systems, will treat its minority interest in Ceres as a “non-core financial investment” and explore divesting the stake.

Bosch said it had achieved a high level of technical maturity in its SOFC technology, but admitted “the market has not developed as expected.”

“The conversion of hydrogen into electricity is not yet being given the necessary priority in Europe, and especially in Germany,” the company said. “This means that further engineering effort will be required in the years ahead, and this will significantly reduce commercial viability.”

Ceres and Bosch partnered on commercialising the UK firm’s SOFC technology in 2018 under a collaboration and licence agreement. Bosch, at the time, made a £9m ($11.4m) equity investment in the firm.

In 2022, Bosch and Ceres planned a Chinese market entry with Weichai Power in pursuit of a £30m ($113.7m) deal. Ceres said the deal fell over in January 2024.

Following the decision, Bosch’s non-executive director on Ceres’ board has stood down.

Ceres CEO, Phil Caldwell said that while disappointing, “we recognise that this decision is part of a broader revised strategic direction from Bosch and does not reflect its confidence around Ceres or our technology.”With around 550 employees in Bosch’s SOFC business, there will be a headcount reduction.

Despite not revealing specific numbers, Bosch said it will find “socially acceptable” solutions for them in “close consultation with employee representatives.” Some employees could find opportunities in electrolysis, it added.

Dr. Thomas Pauer, President of Bosch Power Solutions, said market volatility forced the company to consolidate its efforts and focus the portfolio.

“We see hydrogen as an important source of energy for decarbonising the energy system.

“For the green production of hydrogen, large numbers of electrolysis plants with high-performance stacks will have to be set up worldwide. And it is on those opportunities that we will focus,” he said.

Bosch had planned to launch its first PEM electrolyser stack this year.

https://www.h2-view.com/story/bosch-drops-sofc-development-to-focus-on-pem-hydrogen-production/2121880.article/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Daily%20Hydrogen%20Highlights&utm_content=Daily%20Daily%20Hydrogen%20Highlights+CID_65aabc6b510f2f06f647013369ee40f8&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Bosch%20drops%20SOFC%20development%20to%20focus%20on%20PEM%20hydrogen%20production

With the commercial operation of Sunfire’s electrolyzer now underway, P2X Solutions Oy has achieved a major milestone in accelerating Finland’s green hydrogen market. We are proud to be part of this pioneering project and congratulate the entire team on this outstanding achievement in Finland’s energy history! 🌍💚

For green hydrogen production, P2X Solutions relies on our proven pressurized alkaline technology. The #Harjavalta plant’s production capacity is 20 MW.