Siemens Energy and Air Liquide inaugurate 1GW electrolyser factory

German energy major Siemens Energy and France's Air Liquide have inaugurated a new gigawatt electrolyser factory in Berlin, a step forward in ramping up the hydrogen economy.

The factory will have an annual production capacity of 1GW, with Siemens Energy and Air Liquide planning to increase capacity to at least 3GW by 2025.

According to Siemens Energy, with an installed electrolysis capacity of 3GW, an average of 300,000 metric tonnes of green hydrogen can be produced per year.

The new manufacturing site spans over 2,000 square meters and cost 30 million euros ($32 million) to build. It leverages automation and robotics to mass produce Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser modules, which, according to a statement from Air Liquide, "offer a high degree of efficiency and are particularly adapted to an intermittent renewable energy supply".

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Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy: "There is no energy transition without green molecules. With today's opening and the start of gigawatt-scale production of electrolysers, we are launching the next step for the commercialization of this vital technology. Now we need to agree on a viable business model with a balanced risk and reward profile to turn the smallest molecule into a big success story."

The Air Liquide Normand’Hy 200MW electrolyser project is under construction near Port-Jérôme, France, and will be one of the first to be supplied from the new electrolyser production facility in the framework of the joint venture between Air Liquide and Siemens Energy.

Siemens Energy is working on several other large-scale electrolyser projects, such as in Kassø (Denmark) or FlagshipONE (Sweden), which will provide hydrogen for the synthesis of efuels for shipping.

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François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide Group: “The mass production of industrial scale electrolysers is essential to making competitive renewable hydrogen a reality.

"This state-of-the art technology will soon be operated at the Trailblazer electrolyser in Oberhausen, with a major scale upcoming for the Normand'Hy electrolyser project. More than ever, hydrogen is proving to be a key element of the transition to a low-carbon society.

The project received financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Research and Development as part of the SEGIWA project, which is part of the H2Giga flagship project.