Two Enablers For Green Hydrogen Come From Jülich

• Test facility for industrial-scale electrolyzers inaugurated at Forschungszentrum Jülich
• Hydrogen atlas for Africa presented

28 August 2024

Today, Forschungszentrum Jülich has inaugurated a state-of-the-art test facility for electrolyzers for the production of green hydrogen. The test facility is unique in that it will be used to explore real industrial stacks that are continuously monitored using advanced sensor technology. The facility is part of the DERIEL project coordinated by Siemens Energy, which in turn is part of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research's (BMBF) H₂Giga flagship project. It will play an important role in making electrolyzers "made in Germany" even more efficient and durable. Till Mansmann, Member of the German Bundestag and Innovation Commissioner for Green Hydrogen at BMBF, attended the inauguration. During his visit, he was also presented with the final report of the H2ATLAS AFRICA project. This hydrogen atlas analyses the potential for the production of green hydrogen in West, East, and Southern Africa, and documents the results in an interactive map. The H2ATLAS AFRICA project was also funded by BMBF as part of the National Hydrogen Strategy.

"With the inauguration of our PEM electrolysis test facility as part of the DERIEL project, and the presentation of the hydrogen atlas, we aim to provide important impetus for the hydrogen economy in Germany," says Prof. Peter Jansens, member of the Board of Directors responsible for the field of energy at Forschungszentrum Jülich. "Our research along the entire value chain - from materials research to market maturity - not only strengthens Germany's technological competitiveness, but also drives forward the application of innovative technologies.. With the hydrogen atlas, we also identify potential that will allow the whole world benefit from the energy transition."

Only hydrogen will allow large parts of industry and transport to be made more environmentally friendly. To meet the demand, the H₂Giga flagship project is focusing on the series production of electrolyzers. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the project with almost € 500 million - around € 100 million of which are earmarked for DERIEL.

The PEM electrolyzers that will be investigated at the new test facility use a polymer membrane, also known as a proton exchange membrane. This type of electrolyzer can be operated dynamically with rapid load changes, making it particularly suitable for operation with renewables. The new test facility at Jülich is designed for full-scale electrolyzers on an industrial scale and is equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology. "For the first time, Forschungszentrum Jülich has been provided with a test stand for PEM electrolysis stacks in the megawatt range," says DERIEL consortium leader Dr. Günter Schmid from Siemens Energy.

Science and industry plan to use the test facility to examine and optimize numerous parameters that are crucial for the costs and lifespan of electrolyzers. "Germany aims to become a leading supplier of hydrogen technologies," explained Till Mansmann, Innovation Commissioner for Green Hydrogen at BMBF, at the inauguration. "To achieve this, electrolyzers 'made in Germany' must be more efficient and durable than the competition. This is exactly what we are making possible at Forschungszentrum Jülich."

The DERIEL project aims to gain a better understanding of the aging process in electrolysis cells using dozens of sensors at all levels as well as cameras and complex measurement technology. The findings from the H₂Giga flagship project will then be incorporated into future generations of electrolyzers.

Explanatory Video: Electrolysis

Copyright: Siemens Energy

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"By researching and developing water electrolysis on a megawatt scale, we are setting new global standards in how science and industry work together," says Prof. Rüdiger Eichel from Forschungszentrum Jülich. "The joint research helps both sides: companies like Siemens Energy can use their scientific edge to develop innovative products. At the same time, science is learning a lot about the fundamental processes - and in a real system, not just in models."

In addition to the elaborate sensor technology on electrolyzers in operation, DERIEL also examines material samples from actual operation using computer tomography, electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Digital twins also simulate the entire process - from the electrochemical reaction inside, through flows and temperatures, to the entire system.