Scalable, low-cost green hydrogen electrolysis technology moves closer to industrial reality
Industrial scale green hydrogen production is a step closer to reality after a series of technical breakthroughs by EU-funded project HYScale.
At the core of every low‑temperature water‑electrolysis system lies the membrane, a critical component for efficiency, safety, and scalability. HYScale coordinator Cutting‑Edge Nanomaterials GmbH (CENmat) has now successfully upscaled the synthesis and casting of its proprietary AionFLX™ anion exchange membranes (AEMs).
The new process delivers:
Dramatically reduced hydrogen permeability, resolving a long-standing performance bottleneck in AEM electrolysis.
Batch volumes sufficient for a 100 kW stack, eliminating membrane supply as a scale up constraint.
Catalyst coated substrates. Image ©CENmat / HYScale
Dr Julien Fage, polymer chemist and project coordinator at CENmat, said: “We have moved beyond laboratory production; membranes are no longer the bottleneck. This scalability opens the door to multi‑kilowatt and soon multi‑megawatt systems.”
Building on the membrane advancement, HYScale partners have fabricated large area, critical-raw-material free catalyst coated substrates (CCSs) for both anode and cathode, ensuring that all primary stack materials are available at industrial scale and meet stringent performance targets.
To verify real world functionality, researchers at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) designed, built, and operated a 6 kW AEM short stack using the new membranes and CCSs. The stack demonstrated stable operation across a wide range of temperatures, and current densities; proof that HYScale’s materials can be combined into robust, application-ready membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs).
Leveraging data from the short stack tests, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has finalised the digital design of a 100 kW HYScale stack demonstrator. The model details dimensioning and material selection, providing a firm blueprint for construction and paving the way to Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5).
Jagoda Manss‑Chmielarz, R&D engineer at DLR said: “HYScale is uniquely positioned to deliver scalable, mass‑manufacturable solutions for green hydrogen. Our focus is not only on better materials, but on making them work in real‑life production environments.”
Taken together, these achievements trace a clear progression:
Materials innovation: Industrial‑scale AionFLX™ membranes and CRM‑free CCSs.
Module validation: 6 kW short stack proving reliability beyond the lab.
System engineering: Digital design ready for a 100 kW demonstrator.
HYScale’s integrated approach accelerates Europe’s transition toward affordable green hydrogen, supporting the EU’s climate and energy goals.
To watch an interview with Dr Julien Fage and Jagoda Manss‑Chmielarz explaining the HYScale innovation, click here.