Affordable green hydrogen is essential for a successful energy transition. Yet scaling production fast enough to meet climate targets is a formidable challenge. What’s more, conversion efficiency is key to keeping electricity costs low. Today’s electrolysers are expensive, inefficient and difficult to manufacture at the volumes the world will need. They rely on iridium, one of the rarest and most expensive metals on Earth, as a catalyst material. Since global electrolyser capacity needs to increase by a factor of 25,000 by 2050, iridium availability is a serious bottleneck. Lastly, electrolyser components degrade over time, adding cost and complexity to large-scale deployment. TNO at Holst Centre is addressing all of these challenges simultaneously.
Cross-technology innovation
Using expertise first developed for flexible electronics production, TNO at Holst Centre applies thin-film manufacturing technology to engineer critical components inside electrolysers. We can deposit ultra-thin – just 5 to 20nm – layers of platinum and iridium on dedicated 3D microstructures with 7 times the active surface area of conventional designs. This can reduce the use of this critical raw material by a factor of 200. The same precision that slashes material consumption also delivers superior electrochemical performance and exceptional control over material thickness and uniformity, which extends component life and increases durability.
Developing these revolutionary technologies is only the start, however: TNO at Holst Centre also designs and develops the equipment that can produce them. In this way, we can support the scalable production of these technologies and enable the entire ecosystem to advance, from material development to market application.
TNO at Holst Centre: Faster from lab to fab
Working with TNO at Holst Centre, electrolyser manufacturers and the broader hydrogen industry can realise a credible path to scalable production and lower price point without hitting a materials ceiling. We can help reduce dependence on scarce materials and geopolitically sensitive supply chains, lower the cost of electrolyser production and utilisation, and increase the competitiveness of green hydrogen. Holst Centre’s industry partners will gain access to a proven manufacturing platform, from R&D scale to high-volume roll-to-roll production, that is designed to move new electrolyser technology more swiftly from lab to fab.
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