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The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF) in Darmstadt. The focus of the exchange was on methods for evaluating and monitoring safe hydrogen systems.
Alkaline water electrolysis is one of the most mature processes for hydrogen production. Compared to PEM electrolysis, it has long been considered rather inflexible. Asahi Kasei has succeeded in adapting it to operation with renewable energies, which is characterized by fluctuating loads and frequent load changes. This could significantly reduce the levelized cost of hydrogen.
The British company EnergyPathways has entered into an agreement with the Finnish technology provider Hycamite. Together, they are examining the use of a methane splitting technology in a planned hydrogen and graphite production facility at the port of Barrow-in-Furness.
The Fraunhofer Hydrogen Lab Hessen "GreenMat4H2" showcases two developments at the Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg: testing methods for internal coatings of high-pressure pipelines and a microwave reactor for plasma pyrolysis of residual materials.
Fraunhofer IFAM has further developed dynamic impedance spectroscopy to analyze the condition of electrolyzers and fuel cells during operation. This allows for early detection of weaknesses and better maintenance planning.
Power to Hydrogen (P2H2) and Repsol have completed a pilot of P2H2's anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer at Repsol's All4Zero innovation hub. According to the companies, the technology exceeded durability and efficiency targets and projects a system lifetime of more than 50,000 hours.
The engineering service provider Akkodis and the fuel cell manufacturer EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies want to validate the NM20 fuel cell stack in a truck in real logistics operation. The installation is almost complete, and commissioning is planned for this year.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) have developed a simulation model that calculates the fatigue life of highly stressed components under hydrogen influence based on physical principles. This is intended to reduce costly experiments and make safety factors more realistic.
University College London (UCL) is establishing a chair for advanced propulsion technologies funded by Horiba. The first holder will be Professor Thomas S. Miller starting in September 2026. The partnership aims to research fuel cells and batteries.
Sunfire has started the construction of a test facility for its latest generation of high-temperature electrolysers (SOEC) in the Lausitz Industrial Park in Schwarzheide. The Dresden-based company aims to validate the technology under industrial conditions in the long term.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a process to produce Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater more cost-effectively and resource-efficiently. A freeze-drying technique reduces the estimated production costs from around 19 to just over 5 US dollars per gram.
The US-Belgian company Power to Hydrogen has delivered a 500 kW electrolyser with anion exchange membrane (AEM) to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. According to the company, it is the world's first facility to use 250 kW AEM stacks. Commissioning is planned for September.
An international research team led by the Swiss Empa is investigating how protons move in ceramic membranes. The aim is to develop more efficient materials for fuel cells and electrolysers. The Swiss National Science Foundation funds the project.
Weidmüller expands its u-remote remote I/O system with a differential analog input module for cell voltage monitoring. It is intended to be suitable for stacks of both electrolysers and fuel cells.
Europe’s wind industry stands at a crossroads, with direct consequences for the hydrogen ramp-up. Investors in North Sea wind farms want to pull out. At the Hamburg Offshore Wind Conference, representatives of the steel and wind industries are already warning of the gap between expansion targets and reality.
The measurement of cell voltage in electrolyzers and fuel cells is currently making the leap from research into series production. In this environment, cost, ease of assembly and reliability of the measurement system are more important than maximum accuracy and a high measurement frequency.
The optimal compressor technology for any given electrolysis application depends primarily on the required pressure and the electrolysis capacity. Other factors include the necessary hydrogen purity and the intended operating mode of the compressor. H2international provides an overview of the compressor basics.
Catalysts made of platinum and iridium are still a cost driver in the hydrogen economy. Christian Mohrdieck took over as head of the catalyst manufacturer Pajarito Powder in April and is convinced that his company’s products can reduce the cost of fuel cells by one-fifth.
Nearly 25 years ago, Burckhardt Compression delivered two hydrogen compressors for a trailer filling station at Infraserv Höchst. They still run reliably today with service intervals of 8,000 to 9,000 hours.
Ineratec and Zeopore are collaborating on a new hydrocracking process for synthetic fuels. The goal is to more efficiently upgrade Fischer-Tropsch waxes from power-to-liquid plants into drop-in capable e-fuels and chemicals.
Intelligent Energy has introduced a 120 kW fuel cell system for large drones and, according to its own statements, secured the largest order to date in the UAV segment. The technology is intended to enable longer flight times and higher payloads.
A Finnish research consortium intends to introduce hydrogen from methane pyrolysis into steel production. The FutSteel project has a budget of 17 million euros, starts in June 2026, and runs for three years. It is led by the University of Oulu and the steel company SSAB.
The Lower Saxony start-up H2Green Oil is introducing the cloud-based solutions CIM Database Cloud and Elements for IoT from Contact Software. The company aims to link product development, operation, and service of its decentralised hydrogen systems.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised the US company Power to Hydrogen (P2H2) as a Technology Pioneer 2026. The company from Columbus, Ohio, develops electrolysers based on Anion Exchange Membranes (AEM) and is the only hydrogen company in this year's selection.
A European consortium of fifteen partners has launched the HyCavern project. The aim is to develop underground hydrogen storage in mining-engineered, lined rock caverns. The three-year project is coordinated by the Norwegian research institute SINTEF.
