Sep 18, 2026
Power to Hydrogen has started commercial green hydrogen production at the NextGen District of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, according to Hydrogen Central. The developer of anion exchange membrane electrolyzer systems said the 500 kW installation, assembled from two 250 kW stacks and delivered to the site in August, represents the first commercial deployment of 250 kW AEM stacks, which are more than ten times larger than the stacks used in conventional AEM systems that typically range from 2 kW to 25 kW.
The system is expected to initially produce up to 70 tonnes of green hydrogen per year for regional gas supplier Holthausen and other customers in the area. Most of the output is intended for mobility customers, with industrial applications serving as an additional potential offtake. Local production is positioned as a way to strengthen European energy resilience and provide the region’s fuels, chemicals, and mobility sectors with a lower-carbon hydrogen supply.
Because electricity represents the largest cost in green hydrogen production, the company designs its systems to operate when renewable power is cheapest. The Antwerp installation’s operating range of 10 to 100 percent allows it to follow Belgium’s day-ahead prices, increasing output when power is inexpensive and reducing it when prices rise. The company states that this approach enables the system to deliver locally produced hydrogen that is cost-competitive with other hydrogen sources.
The commissioning comes as Power to Hydrogen prepares data from the Antwerp deployment to support a move toward larger platforms, including multi-megawatt systems. A second commercial order for a 500 kW system with dual 250 kW stacks, supporting the EU-funded PYROCO2 green-chemicals project, is scheduled for delivery to Norwegian research institute SINTEF later this year. The Antwerp project is supported in part by the European Regional Development Fund and the Flemish innovation and entrepreneurship fund administered by VLAIO.
Hybrid AEM Electrolysis and Durability
The deployment is described as a milestone in moving AEM electrolysis from the laboratory into industrial operation. AEM technology has long demonstrated performance comparable to PEM systems at a cost closer to alkaline designs, but durability has remained a key barrier. Power to Hydrogen states that it has addressed the core durability problem through a proprietary hybrid AEM-alkaline cell design that places an alkaline separator between the membrane and the oxygen-producing electrode, protecting the membrane and extending its life.
The system uses low-cost, iridium-free catalysts, a simpler balance of plant than conventional alkaline systems, including a single electrolyte loop, and mechanical membrane support that enables 30 bar output pressure with minimal hydrogen crossover, reducing downstream compression needs.
On September 8, the company announced results from a 1,250-hour pilot with Repsol, one of Europe’s leading energy companies. The pilot measured irreversible degradation of about 2 mV/kHr, which the company says is five to ten times better than AEM targets published by the US Department of Energy and the EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership, and projected stack life beyond 50,000 hours. Using Repsol-specific inputs and the US Department of Energy’s H2A-Lite analysis framework, Power to Hydrogen projected a levelized cost of hydrogen of approximately EUR 3.86 per kilogram for that pilot, a reduction of about 16 percent versus incumbent electrolyzer technologies.
Industry and Official Reactions
Paul Matter, chief executive of Power to Hydrogen, said that bringing the system online in one of Europe’s most demanding industrial environments is how the company answers skepticism around AEM technology, adding that Antwerp is the first step in showing that AEM can be real, durable, and repeatable and can help bring down the cost of green hydrogen where it matters most.
Carl Holthausen, director and chief technology officer of Holthausen, said the company has been selling hydrogen long enough to know that demand for zero-emission hydrogen is real. He noted that access to reliable supply at a price customers can plan around continues to hold the market back, and that a dedicated local source gives the company confidence to quote customers against a known cost and dependable volume rather than being exposed to changing market conditions.
Thomas de Bethune, representative of the European Commission in Belgium, said that together with the Flemish authorities, the commission is a proud investor in the commercial-scale clean-hydrogen system in the port of Antwerp-Bruges, home to many energy-intensive industries in the heart of Europe. He said installations like these prove that CO2 emissions can be reduced significantly while making energy supply more autonomous and secure for businesses.
Luk Lemmens, first deputy of the Province of Antwerp, said that to stay competitive, Antwerp’s industry needs energy that is reliable, affordable, and clean. He said the innovative hydrogen system starting operation shows that hydrogen can be produced locally, and that the province is proud it is happening at the port.
Johan Klaps, president of the board of directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and port alderman of Antwerp, said the NextGen District exists to prove that next-generation clean technologies can work under real industrial conditions rather than only in the lab. He said Power to Hydrogen bringing a commercial-scale electrolyzer online there is the kind of milestone the environment was built to enable and strengthens the port’s role as a proving ground for Europe’s clean industrial transition.
Roel Bosschaerts of NextGen Demo said AEM electrolysis is a strong example of future-proof technologies that can deliver real climate impact. He said Power to Hydrogen’s approach of proving the concept at pre-commercial scale before ramping up to full volumes is exactly what NextGen Demo was built for, derisking and optimizing early so that large-scale rollout can happen faster.
