That was a key message from a new AVL whitepaper, hosted on h2-view.com, which warned that the absence of these components posed “significant challenges” for performance benchmarking, technology comparison, and certification.

“This is particularly problematic as governments and certification agencies move toward results-based incentive schemes and compliance-driven evaluations,” it stated.

The whitepaper detailed how an electrolyser’s Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) – the energy consumed to produce per unit of hydrogen – could vary between different technology types and plant designs, depending on how it is measured.

It noted SEC calculations can be “oversimplified” and said AVL’s measurement approach included electrical power as close to the stack, mechanical energy flows (pressure and temperature) at input and output, effects of heating and cooling, gas composition, and auxiliary systems.

This requires a “suite” of instrumentation including voltage and current probes, mass flow, temperature and pressure sensors, and gas composition analysers.

AVL said this approach “bridges existing gaps by providing accurate, technology-agnostic data aligned with emerging standards.”

“By enabling stakeholders, from OEMs to regulators, to confidently validate electrolyser efficiency, AVL aims to support informed decision-making,” the whitepaper said.

The publication comes amid growing calls for a standardised approach to quantifying electrolyser performance from certain OEMs as competition rises.

Find the full whitepaper here.