Companies receive EU funding to implement next-generation technologies in efficient electrolysers

The EMMA project, which is the result of a collaboration between the two companies, received a grant of €1.1 million from the Spanish Government under the Strategic Recovery Plan (PERTE) for Renewable Energy, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage (ERHA), an instrument funded by the EU’s Next Generation programme.

The total project budget, including partner funding, will be €1.4 million. The joint work will focus on the development and integration of high-performance components from Matteco, a world-class supplier of catalysts and electrodes for alkaline electrolysis and AEM, in a new generation of more durable and cost-effective alkaline electrolyzers that will produce green hydrogen at a competitive price.

The collaboration with Ariema will allow for the exploration and consolidation of new electrode development opportunities over a three-year period, both for intermediate cell sizes (25 cm diameter) and the final sizes required by the green industry (1 m diameter).

Reducing the costs of producing green hydrogen is a major driver for using this energy carrier in sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry, long-distance transport and the storage of surplus energy.

This implementation will also enable more efficient conversion of surplus energy generated during periods of increased hydrogen production, helping to stabilise the electricity grid and ensure a steady supply of renewable energy.

Iker Marcaide, co-founder and CEO of Matteco, said: “This collaboration with Ariema, a leading manufacturer, demonstrates how Matteco’s nanotechnology is accelerating the arrival of a new generation of alkaline electrolyzers, where our components are key to their performance and efficiency. This new step forward strengthens the company’s position as we approach the opening of our gigawatt factory in Valencia.”

Rafael Luque, Managing Director of Ariema, added: “We have great expectations for Matteco’s technology, a reliable partner that will allow us to make progress towards our goal of offering increasingly efficient alkaline electrolyzers on a larger scale, consolidating Ariema’s position as a reference in the field of alkaline electrolysis, where Ariema is the first Spanish company to have its own technology.”

The EMMA project is aligned with the goals of the European Union Hydrogen Strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, which aims to achieve up to 40 GW of renewable, green hydrogen electrolysers by 2030. It also addresses the challenges set by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for alkaline electrolysis by 2026.