Hydrogen electrolyser makers can gain a competitive advantage by being part of a one-stop-shop for project installation: analyst

Manufacturers with a proven track record of installing green H2 projects 'will be able to consolidate their position as preferred suppliers', says Guidehouse Insights

Jacques Moss, senior research analyst at Guidehouse Insights.
Jacques Moss, senior research analyst at Guidehouse Insights.Photo: Guidehouse Insights
Electrolyser makers that have joint ventures (JVs) or collaboration agreements with EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) companies will have a competitive advantage over their rivals, a senior analyst tells Hydrogen Insight.

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Partnerships that offer pre-optimised turnkey solutions can simplify — and potentially reduce the costs of — developing green hydrogen projects.

By contrast, developers would otherwise have to deal with separate electrolyser suppliers and engineering firms — many of which would be fairly new to the business and could potentially struggle to install and optimise unfamiliar technology on a bespoke basis.

Existing partnerships include Rely, a joint venture between Belgian manufacturer John Cockerill and Paris-based Technip Energies, and a non-exclusive collaboration between Norway’s Hydrogen Pro and Austrian EPC player Andritz.
“Our view is that manufacturers able to offer a complete equipment supply and EPC offering — either in house or via a partner company — have a competitive advantage with project developers that are still cautious about technology selection,” Jacques Moss, senior research analyst at Guidehouse Insights, tells Hydrogen Insight.

“In some cases, the EPC partner is also able to reserve manufacturing capacity in advance, which can help to accelerate equipment delivery.”

He explains that manufacturers with a proven track record of successfully delivering industrial-scale projects on schedule, with properly functioning equipment, “will be able to consolidate their position as preferred suppliers”.

“They will also be in a better position to weather oversupply and potential competition from lower-cost Chinese manufacturers later this decade.”

John Cockerill’s head of hydrogen, Raphael Tilot, told Hydrogen Insight last summer that Rely will be able to reduce the cost of green H2 production by being a one-stop shop offering pre-engineered electrolysis solutions.

“Rely will be in a position very quickly to make proposals to clients because it’ll have pre-engineered the fully optimised solution,” he said.

“We are very optimistic that there will be significant savings [for clients] at the level of full hydrogen plants or green molecule plants... and we’re going to go very fast after these savings.”

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Published 20 March 2024, 09:16Updated 20 March 2024, 09:16