Hystar, a Norwegian manufacturer of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers for the large-scale production of green hydrogen, has been granted EUR 26 million by the Innovation Fund. The grant will be used to install and operate Hystar’s automated gigawatt (GW) production line for its PEM electrolyser stacks in Norway. The project is set to radically increase the PEM electrolyser capacity in the EU by introducing a novel mass-manufactured high-efficiency PEM stack to the market. Spinverse experts supported Hystar in their successful funding proposal.
Green hydrogen playing a key role in the green transition
The European Commission recognizes green hydrogen as a key enabler in transitioning to a low-carbon and climate-neutral economy. It aims to establish the European Union as a global leader in hydrogen production and use. The RePowerEU programme aims for an ambitious and rapid increase in electrolyser capacity, planning to achieve 10 Mt in European green hydrogen production and 10 Mt in green hydrogen imports by 2030 in replacing fossil fuels.
If powered by renewable electricity, water electrolysis provides a method of green hydrogen production by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The objective of European electrolyser manufacturers is to achieve an annual electrolyser manufacturing capacity of 25 gigawatts (GW) already in year 2025. To reach net zero emission targets, at least 850 GW by 2030 and 3600 GW by 2050 electrolyser capacity must be installed. For reference, the total installed electrolyser capacity in Europe was estimated at 216 MW in 2023.
Hystar’s project to radically boost the PEM electrolyser capacity in Europe
The rationale behind Hystar’s 7-year project is to radically increase the PEM electrolyser capacity in the EU by introducing a novel mass-manufactured high-efficiency PEM stack to the market. Already proven at MW-scale, the project aims to deploy electrolyser stacks patented by Hystar to the gigawatt-production-scale. The first-of-its-kind automated production line with an annual capacity of 4.5 GW will be built in Høvik, Norway.
The PEM electrolyser stacks will be sold to various global customers to produce green hydrogen. Thanks to a better product performance than with conventional electrolysers, the customers will obtain a lower levelized cost of hydrogen production.
Hystar’s unique and proprietary PEM electrolyser stack technology will have a positive impact on significant cost reductions, better performance and safer green hydrogen plants. By automating the stack production, combined with the ability to utilize existing supply chains for key components, Hystar is able to rapidly scale its operations and make green hydrogen more affordable and accessible to a wider range of industrial and hard-to-abate sectors. The outcomes of the project are estimated to save over 12Mt of CO2eq emission equivalent during the total project duration.
Spinverse supported Hystar in their successful funding proposal
Hystar used Spinverse’s full Innovation Fund application service, including project management and administration, as well as proposal preparation, contributing with writing skills and expertise in what is necessary for securing funding in a highly competitive funding call. The Spinverse team consisted of project manager Germain Courtois, technical expert Sergei Chekurov, sustainability expert Marja Jallinoja and financial expert Akseli Makkonen.
Production Director Bente Traa from Hystar worked closely with the Spinverse team on the successful proposal. She says: “Working with the Spinverse team was a lot of fun and an overall great experience! They’re very knowledgeable about the process and requirements, and are good at keeping everything on track, staying calm and controlled even when the pressure is on. I would happily recommend them to anyone looking to apply for EU Innovation Fund.”
More information on Hystar's website.
This project supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): |
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