Chinese electrolyser manufacturer Hygreen Energy could manufacture Estonian solid oxide player Elcogen’s systems under a new partnership.
The pair signed a memorandum of understanding, which could see Hygreen, a supplier of alkaline, PEM, and AEM systems, add solid oxide electrolysers (SOEC) and fuel cells (SOFC) to its technology portfolio.
Under the two-year deal, the companies will explore scaling up the technology, establishing new applications, and targeting global markets.
Elcogen revealed its newest generation of solid oxide stacks, which can be used for fuel-flexible power generation and green hydrogen production in May.
Hygreen Chief Commercial Officer, Alan Tan, said, “We see real potential to accelerate the development of SOEC and SOFC systems and bring these solutions to commercial scale in China and beyond.”
It comes despite claims from many that Chinese electrolyser manufacturing deals raise questions around leaking proprietary core technology.
Elcogen Chief Technology Officer, Jan Gustav Grolig, however, recently told a gasworld webinar that the company is “not too worried about IP questions.”
Grolig claimed the firm’s advantage lies largely in manufacturing process know-how, rather than simple visible design standards and materials. However, he did identify that Elcogen has “active monitoring and [intellectual property] protection ongoing.”
Other electrolyser companies that have recently outsourced stack manufacturing to China include Enapter and HydrogenPro as they seek to reduce costs.
The deal could see Elcogen become the second Western-headquartered electrolyser player to supply stack technology to Hygreen.
Last year, the firm said it would use Bosch’s PEM electrolyser stacks in its green hydrogen production systems.
