The partnership will enable the German company, Sunfire, to start volume production of its pressurised alkaline electrolysers this year, with Vitesco combing the cells into stacks that form the centrepiece of an electrolyser.
Vitesco is converting a quarter of its capacities for this purpose, a site (Limbach-Oberfrohna, Saxony) where fossil fuels have traditionally been the main driver, but now Sunfire can scale to gigawatt levels.
Nils Aldag, Sunfire CEO, said, “To manufacture electrolysers, we need very similar skills to the automotive industry.
“For the industry, this is extremely exciting. As traditional industries are transformed, the rapidly growing green hydrogen industry offers new perspectives.”
Sunfire will continue to expand its alkaline electrolyser manufacturing capacity and in doing so it means the company will rely on decentralised production.
One of the core processes is the metallic coating of the cells, which is carried out in Solingen, Germany, where a new electroplating line will be open in a few weeks, with another in construction.
The new electroplating line will enable Sunfire to produce alkaline electrolysers with a total capacity of 500MW annually in 2023.
Sunfire announced last year it had become the ‘first’ green hydrogen company based in the EU to receive an investment from Amazon’s $2bn Climate Pledge Fund.
Amazon set out goals to hit Net Zero across its operations by 2040, and by funding firms such as Sunfire it hopes to facilitate the transition to a Net Zero carbon economy.
Read more: Amazon backs German electrolyser manufacturer’s scale-up plans
Dr. Hans-Jürgen Braun, Head of Operations at Vitesco Technologies, said, “We have found a promising path in the cooperation with Sunfire.
“Long-standing expertise meets future technologies – even beyond the mobility sector. We are happy that the site is taking this step together with Sunfire.”
A Successful Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen – Iceland
It is becoming ever clearer that the entire green hydrogen ecosystem requires alignment. Hydrogen’s potential, performance, and safety are proven. Green hydrogen is widely accepted as a core pathway to Net Zero, yet the key levers in the transition are not yet in-sync.
For these reasons, H2 View is launching An Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen, a two and a half day summit in Reykjavík, Iceland on February 28 to March 2, 2023, devoted to thought leadership, insights, and actionable takeaways for the green hydrogen ecosystem.
In a world full of distractions and technical overload, we need inspiring places to refresh our minds and bodies. The power of Iceland lies in its nature, culture, and energy. These elements serve as the perfect backdrop for a memorable and effective event at the world renowned Harpa Centre.
The summit promises to tackle all sides of the energy ecosystem, from wind and solar power requirements, through to additionality, water sustainability, electrolyser technologies, and the investment and policy climate. The 2.5 day event is split over six sessions, delegates will hear from speakers representing all strands of the hydrogen value chain in a bid to unravel key issues in the industry, and where it can make some headway.
You can find more information at h2-viewevents.com.