Power to Hydrogen (P2H2) has begun the installation of a 0.5 megawatt anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium, as part of a project aimed at testing renewable hydrogen production under real operational conditions in an industrial port complex.
The installation constitutes the first commercial deployment of the hybrid AEM M-Class technology developed by the company and will use 250 kilowatt stack modules. According to P2H2, it will be the first installation of this type to use AEM stacks with this power. Commissioning is expected for September.
The project will allow for the evaluation of this technology’s operation in an active industrial site and will serve as a reference for future installations of larger capacity. The M-Class platform has been designed for configurations that can reach up to 25 megawatts, opening the possibility of using the same technological approach in multi-megawatt industrial projects.
One of the technical aspects of the system is its ability to adapt its operation to variations in the electrical supply from renewable sources. Power to Hydrogen notes that the electrolyzer can respond to load changes in less than 50 milliseconds, a feature designed to facilitate its integration with renewable generation sources whose production varies based on available conditions.
The equipment also operates under pressure, which, according to the company, reduces the subsequent hydrogen compression needs and simplifies certain auxiliary components associated with the production process.
The AEM technology used by P2H2 employs materials such as steel and nickel in place of some of the precious metals typically used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The company claims that this configuration can reduce investment costs —CAPEX— by up to 65% compared to comparable PEM systems. This estimate is based on data provided by the manufacturer itself, and the project will allow for external validations once it goes into operation.
The CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Rob Smeets, has indicated that the incorporation of the electrolyzer is part of the site’s work to facilitate the demonstration in Europe of scalable and flexible energy technologies. The port hosts the project as part of its strategy to offer industrial spaces where new solutions related to the energy transition can be tested.
Once commissioning is completed, the installation will provide a configuration that can be replicated in future multi-megawatt projects. The technology is also expected to undergo validation by third parties, a process aimed at obtaining independent data on its performance in industrial conditions.
The hydrogen produced will initially be aimed at meeting commercial demand related to both mobility and industrial activities in the Antwerp region. The main buyer during the first phase will be Holthausen, a regional supplier of industrial gases and hydrogen-powered trucks. The system’s configuration also considers the inclusion of other clients as operations develop.
Power to Hydrogen expects that the installation will generate commercial revenue during its first year of operation. The project will thus combine technological demonstration with the effective supply of hydrogen to consumers in the area.
Production will be carried out using renewable electricity and water within the industrial environment itself. This model avoids transporting hydrogen from production facilities located further away and allows the product to be available close to consumption points. In the port and industrial environment of Antwerp, there are activities related to fuels, chemicals, logistics, and mobility that are among the potential users of this type of supply.
The CEO of Power to Hydrogen, Paul Matter, believes that the installation will demonstrate the company’s ability to manufacture and deliver equipment for industrial applications, integrate them into an operational site, and commission an AEM platform capable of adapting its electricity consumption to renewable generation.
The origin of the project lies in Power to Hydrogen’s participation in Free Electrons, an international innovation program linked to energy companies, in which the company was selected as a winner in 2022. Among the program’s requirements was to carry out a commercial demonstration under real operating conditions.
This process subsequently facilitated the development of the installation in the NextGen District of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, an area designated for industrial projects related to the circular economy and energy transition.
Free Electrons involves participation from energy companies such as American Electric Power (AEP), EDP, E.ON, ESB, Origin Energy, and CLP. Several of these companies have also entered the shareholding of Power to Hydrogen.
Daniel Joisten, head of Technology Scouting and Innovation at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions, has indicated that the installation will provide information on the behavior of flexible AEM electrolysis at commercial scale and on its ability to operate according to variations in renewable generation.
The commissioning expected for September will open an operational phase in which P2H2 can collect data on the performance, integration, and operation of the electrolyzer in an industrial environment, while also beginning the supply of hydrogen to the first consumers in the region.