US car maker General Motors (GM) will help Norwegian manufacturer Nel develop a new PEM electrolyser under a strategic collaboration unveiled today.
The Oslo-based company — a world leader in alkaline electrolysers — will pay GM for the development work, and then pay royalties to the US car giant after the new PEM (proton exchange membrane) machine is commercialised “dependent on how much of the end product is based on GM technology”.
“By combining GM's extensive fuel cell expertise and Nel's deep knowledge of electrolysers, the two companies are looking to enable more cost competitive sources of renewable hydrogen,” the two organisations explained in a joint statement.
Nel CEO Håkon Volldal added: “General Motors is one of the global leaders in hydrogen fuel cell propulsion with more than 50 years of experience. We believe this collaboration will give us a competitive advantage in industrializing the production of our PEM electrolysers and further improving the efficiency of our technology.”
The joint statement explains: “A PEM electrolyser and a fuel cell are largely based on the same principles. A PEM electrolyser uses electricity and water to produce hydrogen and oxygen, while a fuel cell reverses the process, using hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water. As GM has made major steps and gained expertise with fuel cells, the two companies see substantial synergies by transferring this to Nel’s PEM platform.”
PEM is said to be more efficient than alkaline electrolysers when powered by variable renewable energy, although they are more expensive to produce.
While Nel’s current main factory in Herøya, Norway, produces alkaline electrolysers, its facility in the US state of Connecticut is focused on PEM technology. The company is now looking to industrialise the PEM production in a similar way to its fully automated Norwegian plant.
Nel announced earlier this year that it is looking to build a second factory in the US, expecting to make a final investment decision in first half of 2023.
“An automated production concept is key when scaling up and driving down cost on electrolyser technology,” said Volldal. “By utilizing the combined expertise of both companies, it will help to more quickly develop a green hydrogen technology that is competitive with fossil fuels.”
Charles Freese, executive director of GM’s fuel-cell unit, Hydrotec, added: "Nel has some of the most promising electrolyser technology to help develop clean hydrogen infrastructure, and we believe our Hydrotec fuel cell IP [intellectual property] can help them get closer to scale."
The joint statement explained: “Nel will be compensating GM for the development work and IP transfer on an ongoing basis and pay a license after successful commercialization dependent on how much of the end product is based on GM technology.”
GM owns the vehicle brands Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC.
