Nel ASA has launched its next-generation pressurized alkaline electrolyser system. According to the Oslo-based company, the platform represents a new approach to hydrogen production, aimed at simplifying project execution while improving cost efficiency, operational performance, and scalability. Nel states that it can achieve an estimated turnkey full-scope cost of below $1,450 per kW for a 25 MW plant, with additional cost synergies expected at larger scales. These estimates are based on hydrogen delivered at 30 bar pressure and 99.99% purity. The company also notes that many industrial hydrogen projects today typically reach total system costs of around $3,000 per kW. The new platform is designed as a modular system that reduces overall plant complexity through greater standardization of components. It aims to enhance operational efficiency by improving stack performance and simplifying balance-of-plant requirements. In addition, the pressurized design reduces or eliminates the need for downstream compression, which can lower both installed costs and energy consumption. Nel also expects the system to shorten deployment timelines for large-scale renewable hydrogen projects across industrial applications. Overall, the launch reflects the company’s broader strategy to make alkaline electrolysis more cost-competitive and suitable for gigawatt-scale hydrogen production.
De Nora has received from the joint venture Thyssenkrupp nucera an initial tranche of orders relating to the Moeve project in Andalusia, Spain, the largest green hydrogen project in Southern Europe. “De Nora’s scope of supply covers the delivery of electrolytic cells for alkaline water electrolysis (AWE), featuring high‑performance anodic and cathodic coating, for a total capacity of 300 MW. Potential value of the complete order is ranging between 30 and 40 million euro”, said the Italian company.
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €5 billion ($5.8 billion) to help companies in industrial sectors decarbonize their production processes. “Eligible projects must involve fundamental technological changes and replace fossil fuels or raw materials with low-carbon alternatives such as electrification, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and use (CCU), the use of biomethane, as well as heat recovery and storage,” said the European executive body, explaining that projects selected through a competitive bidding process will be awarded a two-way carbon contracts for difference with a duration of 15 years.
In a separate development, the European Commission has awarded €11.2 million through 2030 to a consortium led by the University of Vaasa in Finland to demonstrate a large vessel powered by a hydrogen-capable internal combustion engine (ICE). The project focuses on a new engine concept designed to run on hydrogen and biomethane, supported by a modern fuel blending and supply system as well as an advanced exhaust aftertreatment approach. Partners include Wärtsilä, Wegemt, NTUA, TalTech, the American Bureau of Shipping, Deltamarin, the University of Oulu, Åbo Akademi University, Meric Wave Computanics, DLR, BALance Technology Consulting, Meyer Werft, and Wasaline. “By combining full-scale engine development with onboard demonstration and digital modelling, we can shorten the path from research to real-world impact for low- and zero-carbon shipping,” said Anders Öster, General Manager for Research Coordination & Funding at Wärtsilä Marine.
The University of Birmingham has presented new research on a low-temperature hydrogen production method that could enable both centralized facilities and smaller local plants to operate using waste heat from large industrial processes. According to the university, current catalysts typically split water at 700–1,000 C and require temperatures of 1,300–1,500 C for regeneration between water-splitting cycles. Researchers led by Professor Yulong Ding from the university’s School of Chemical Engineering have now demonstrated that these operating temperatures can be reduced by around 500 C by using a perovskite catalyst. The work was carried out in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). The University of Birmingham Enterprise, responsible for commercialising the technology in Europe, has filed a patent application covering the use of BNCF catalysts and is seeking development partners to advance the process.
Meanwhile, a group of four researchers led by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid has found that decisions on replacing electrolyzer stacks depend strongly on production conditions. Their study shows that extending stack operation can be economically advantageous in systems with low capacity factors and low-cost electricity. “These findings highlight that no single stack management strategy or EoL threshold is universally optimal. Instead, the economically optimal lifetime of an electrolyzer depends strongly on the operational context, particularly electricity price and system utilization,” the researchers stressed, attributing the uncertainty largely to the lack of clear international standards governing electrolyzer durability.
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