[ industry update ]
H2U achieves 25,000-hour |
lifetime |
of |
non-iridium |
catalysts |
|
|
H2U Technologies has performed durability tests on new , lower-cost , iridiumfree catalyst materials that demonstrate a projected lifetime of 25,000 hours . This durability milestone represents a significant breakthrough and addresses supply chain bottlenecks for sustainable hydrogen production with PEM electrolyzers .
Discovering non-iridium catalysts for commercial applications has been challenging , as novel materials often degrade rapidly under the harsh acidic conditions of the oxygen evolution reaction ( OER ). The best iridium-free catalysts known to date offer lifetimes of approximately 1,000 to 1,400 hours . With a baseline of over 4,000 hours of continuous operation thus far , H2U ’ s iridium-free catalysts , tested at 10x higher current density , are demonstrating projected lifetimes of over 25,000 hours . H2U catalysts
are projected to last at least six years for targeted applications , such as in PEM electrolyzers paired with curtailed renewables .
H2U ’ s innovative catalysts are cost-effective and more readily available than iridium . Utilizing these affordable alternatives expands the possibilities for electrolyzer stack design , enabling H2U to explore avenues unrestricted by ultrathin catalyst layers and low usage of catalysts . This flexibility significantly reduces capital expenses , producing more affordable delivered hydrogen .
Verdagy announces new electrolyzer manufacturing facility opening Verdagy , a U . S . developer of water electrolysis technologies for large-scale industrial applications , has announced its new facility opening in Newark , California , with more than 100,000 ft ² of manufacturing space .
The commencement of operations at the company ’ s highly-automated Silicon
Valley factory will start in Q1 2024 .
Verdagy ’ s strategic focus on optimizing manufacturing is a key factor in becoming a leader in the scaling of the green hydrogen industry . Through development of advanced manufacturing , cost reductions , and significant product innovations , the company is deploying a scalable manufacturing design that puts it on track to achieve the U . S . Department of Energy ’ s goal of USD 2 / kg of levelized cost of hydrogen by 2026 .
Verdagy ’ s customers are in heavy industries such as chemicals , ammonia / fertilizer , steel , and e-fuels , which all require large amounts of green hydrogen . “ Our new Silicon Valley manufacturing facility will accelerate the production and cost reduction of our eDynamic ® 20 megawatt electrolyzer module , which is the basic building block for delivering larger , gigawattscale plants ,” said Marty Neese , Verdagy CEO .
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 12 | October 2023 7