H-TEC plans mass production of PEM electrolysers – reNews

MAN Energy Solutions will invest up to €500 million in its H-TEC SYSTEMS subsidiary to quickly transform the hydrogen specialist into a mass producer of PEM electrolysers.

MAN Managing Director Uwe Lauber said: “Our project is clear.

“We are transforming H-TEC SYSTEMS into one of the world’s leading players in the field of PEM electrolysis.

“Over the next five to ten years, green hydrogen will become one of the most important primary energy sources for the global economy as it continues to decarbonize.

“With PEM electrolysis, H-TEC SYSTEMS has mastered one of the most important processes for the production of hydrogen on an industrial scale from renewable energy sources.

“The technology is mature and has already been brought to market successfully.

“So the next step is to scale up and set up highly automated series production – and we would like to make rapid progress in this area.”

H-TEC will benefit from a global sales network and the experience of MAN Energy Solutions in large projects.

He will also have direct access to the expertise and experience of the Volkswagen Group, particularly in production dimensioning and supplier-based series production activity.

Gunnar Kilian, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of MAN Energy Solutions and Member of the Management Board of Volkswagen, said: “On the road to climate neutrality, hydrogen plays a key role for sectors such as international maritime transport. or industrial processes where direct electrification is not possible.

“It is therefore essential for our subsidiary MAN Energy Solutions to continue to strengthen its strategic position in the future market for power-to-X technology and synthetic fuels with investments in the production of hydrogen.

“Only by coordinating our efforts will we achieve our common goal of climate neutrality.

“MAN Energy Solutions plays an important role in this.”

H-TEC SYSTEMS already offers solutions for hydrogen electrolysis and offers its customers integrated container solutions in the megawatt range.

The specialist is restructuring his management team to implement the growth strategy, which has now been approved.

Robin von Plettenberg, previously responsible for the turbomachinery service business at MAN Energy Solutions, joins the group as Managing Director as well as Sales Director.

Frank Zimmermann will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer.

Marius Zasche, previously responsible for the components business at MAN, completes the board team as Chief Technology & Operations Officer.

Robin von Plettenberg said: “The market for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources is currently focused on decentralized production and local use.

“Over the next few years we will see bigger and bigger projects, like those integrating entire wind farms.

“We are increasingly expecting projects with a capacity of more than 100 MW and also foresee structural changes in the market for large multi-gigawatt power plants in the medium term, which are used in particular to export hydrogen and supply industrial sectors. of the whole world. “

There are also plans to significantly increase the workforce of the company based in Augsburg and the municipality of Braak in Schleswig-Holstein in the future.

Zimmermann said: “Over the past few years, we have already significantly expanded our workforce and doubled the number of employees in 2021 alone.

“This growth will continue and we plan to hire several hundred highly qualified employees over the next few years, particularly in development and production.