Port of Antwerp-Bruges Begins Commercial Green Hydrogen Production with 500 kW AEM System

Power to Hydrogen (P2H2), a developer of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyser technology, has started commercial green hydrogen production at the NextGen District of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

The 500 kW installation comprises two 250 kW stacks delivered to the site in August. According to P2H2, the project represents the first commercial deployment of 250 kW AEM stacks, which are more than ten times larger than the 2-25 kW stacks commonly used in conventional AEM systems.

Antwerp System to Produce Up to 70 Tonnes of Hydrogen

The system is initially expected to produce up to 70 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. Regional gas supplier Holthausen and other local customers will be among the initial offtakers, with mobility applications expected to account for most demand and industrial uses providing a potential additional market.

The electrolyser is designed to adjust its output between 10% and 100% of capacity. This allows it to operate in response to electricity prices and increase production when renewable power is available at lower cost.

P2H2 said the Antwerp system can follow Belgium’s day-ahead electricity prices, addressing the importance of power costs in the economics of green hydrogen production.

AEM Technology Moves Towards Industrial Deployment

The project is part of efforts to move AEM electrolysis from laboratory-scale development towards commercial industrial applications. Durability has historically been one of the challenges associated with the technology.

P2H2’s system uses a hybrid AEM-alkaline cell configuration, with an alkaline separator positioned between the membrane and the oxygen-producing electrode. The design is intended to extend membrane life while using iridium-free catalysts and a simplified balance of plant.

Second 500 kW System Planned for SINTEF

The project has received support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/EFRO) and the Flemish innovation fund administered by VLAIO.

P2H2 is also preparing a second 500 kW system for Norwegian research institute SINTEF. The unit will support the EU-funded PYROCO2 green-chemicals project and is scheduled for delivery later this year.

Johan Klaps, President of the Board of Directors at 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, not just in the lab, adding that Power to Hydrogen bringing a commercial-scale electrolyser online is exactly the kind of milestone this environment was built to enable, and it strengthens the port’s role as a proving ground for Europe’s clean industrial transition.

Paul Matter, CEO of Power to Hydrogen, said bringing this system online in one of Europe’s most demanding industrial environments is how the company answers the scepticism around AEM, not with claims, but with hardware on the ground.