The Battolyser system, created in the Netherlands, constitutes a real innovation which makes it possible to combine batteries and the production of clean hydrogen, all with great adaptation capabilities. A project supported by the EU.
Although energy is necessary on a daily basis, its production and use represent 75% of greenhouse gas emissions within the EU.
In Rotterdam, a company specializing in clean technologies, supported by an EU investment program, has made it its mission to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
To achieve this, she created the Battolyser®. This is an innovative electrolyser, capable of storing renewable energy in a battery and producing green hydrogen.
“Working on the energy transition is a goal that unites us all,” notes Maarten van Heel, director of projects and engineering at Battolyser Systems. “This is the challenge of our generation, which we must meet.”
The Battolyser® was created by a Dutch university. It is powered by renewable energies such as wind and sun.
Once the battery is charged, the energy can then be used to produce hydrogen.
The system can also be turned on or off instantly to accommodate intermittent supply.
“60% of the costs of green hydrogen come from electricity,” continues Maarten van Heel. “The Battolyser® can produce hydrogen when electricity prices are low, but it can stop when electricity prices are high. This is a possibility that other technologies cannot offer. It can also return electricity to the grid, creating an additional source of revenue for customers.”
Last year, the first Battolyser® system on an industrial scale was installed in a Dutch power plant for simulation purposes. The hydrogen produced is used to cool the blades of gas turbines.
Today, production equipment is ramping up, with a view to commercial deployment. Targeted industries range from oil refineries to transportation companies.
“The energy transition must be rapid,” says Mattijs Slee, CEO of Battolyser Systems, “because it is fundamental for global warming, and must be affordable, and I think we can reconcile the two.”
The company plans to build its first large-scale factory in the port of Rotterdam.
“We need existing companies to ensure the transition and we also need new ones to fill gaps,” says Boudewijn Siemons, director of the Rotterdam port authority. “In the future, the energy system will be decentralized. We will need batteries and hydrogen production. The fact that Battolyser combines these two elements makes it a completely new offering in this new energy market.”
Financing of 40 million euros was granted by the European Investment Bank to enable production to ramp up. Financing accompanied by a guarantee provided by the InvestEU Fund.
It remains to be hoped that this technology, developed here in the Netherlands, can begin to be deployed at the end of the year.
