[SMM survey] Weekly Review of Electrolyzer Industry (May 8, 2025-May 15, 2025)

I. Policy Updates: National Standards and Local Support Work in Tandem​​

​​"Guidelines for Carbon Emission Accounting of Electrolyzers" Officially Implemented​​

On May 8, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the mandatory national standard "Guidelines for Carbon Emission Accounting of Electrolyzers," explicitly requiring electrolyzer companies to account for carbon emissions throughout their entire life cycles (covering power sources, material production, etc.) and incorporate these into the approval criteria for green hydrogen projects.

​​Industry Impact​​: Alkaline electrolyzer (ALK) companies, which rely on grid electricity, face greater pressure to reduce emissions; low-carbon technology routes such as SOEC and AEM receive policy support.

​​Gansu Launches Special Subsidies for "Localized Wind and Solar Power-to-Hydrogen Equipment"​​

On May 10, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of Gansu Province announced subsidies for PV/wind power companies that purchase local electrolyzer equipment, providing a 20% subsidy based on the equipment investment (up to 8 million yuan per unit) and allowing electrolyzer companies to share green electricity revenue with wind and solar power developers.

​​Regional Competition​​: This move directly impacts traditional electrolyzer industry clusters in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, potentially triggering a new round of "local subsidy competitions."

​​EU Carbon Border Tax Accelerates Domestic Electrolyzer Export Certification

On May 12, the European Commission adopted an amendment to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), requiring imported electrolyzers to provide proof of their full life cycle carbon footprint.

​​Corporate Responses​​: Top-tier enterprises such as CSSC 718 Institute and Shanghai Electric are accelerating their EU CE certification processes and planning localized overseas production (e.g., electrolyzer assembly bases in Southeast Asia).

II. Corporate Updates: Concurrent Capacity Expansion and Overseas Breakthroughs​​

​​LONGi Hydrogen's 500 MW Electrolyzer Base in Ordos Goes Operational​​

On May 8, LONGi Hydrogen announced the full operation of its world's largest single alkaline electrolyzer production base in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, with an annual capacity of 3 GW. Equipped with its independently developed "bipolar plate laser welding" technology, the base has increased current density to 0.7 A/cm² and reduced unit energy consumption to 4.1 kWh/Nm³.

​​Strategic Cooperation​​: Signed an agreement with China Huaneng Group to supply electrolyzers for its 10 GW wind and solar power-to-hydrogen project in Inner Mongolia and explore the "Electrolyzer as a Service (EaaS)" model.

​​ThyssenKrupp Uhde and Guofu Hydrogen Establish a Joint Venture​​

On May 11, Germany's ThyssenKrupp Uhde and China's Guofu Hydrogen jointly established a "hydrogen energy equipment manufacturing company" in Shandong, planning to invest 1.5 billion yuan to build a 1 GW SOEC electrolyzer production line targeting European offshore wind power-to-hydrogen projects.

Technical Collaboration: Guofu Hydrogen Energy will adopt ThyssenKrupp's ceramic electrolyte membrane technology to fill the domestic gap in SOEC mass production.

Cockerill Jingli Secures First European Order for AEM Electrolyzers

On May 14, Suzhou Cockerill Jingli announced the signing of an agreement with French energy giant Total to supply a 20 MW AEM electrolyzer system for its offshore wind-to-hydrogen project in Dunkirk, with delivery planned for the end of 2026.

Technical Highlights: The order features Cockerill Jingli's self-developed "iridium-free catalyst" AEM electrolyzer, which reduces costs by 50% compared to traditional PEM electrolyzers and achieves a lifespan exceeding 80,000 hours.

III. Technological Advancements: Focus on Low-Carbonization and Longevity

SOEC Electrolyzer Achieves Over 85% Steam Utilization at High Temperature

On May 9, Wuhan University of Technology Hydrogen Energy announced that its third-generation SOEC electrolyzer achieved 85% steam utilization under high-temperature (750°C) conditions, a 10 percentage point improvement over the previous generation, making it suitable for flexible retrofitting of thermal power plants.

Commercialization Progress: The technology has passed validation by SPIC and is planned for pilot application in thermal power plants in northeast China in 2026.

Breakthrough in "Zero-Degradation" Technology for Alkaline Electrolyzers

On May 13, Shandong Saikesaisi unveiled an alkaline electrolyzer featuring a "titanium-iridium composite electrode plate + solid electrolyte," which operated continuously for over 100,000 hours (approximately 11.4 years) under simulated conditions with a degradation rate ≤0.3% per 1,000 hours, setting a new industry record.

Cost Controversy: The technology's use of a precious metal iridium coating increases the cost of a single electrolyzer by 20%, sparking market discussions on balancing technological advancement with economic feasibility.

AEM Electrolyzer Achieves Dynamic Response Time Under 10 Seconds

On May 15, Jiangsu Yuanqing New Energy launched its fourth-generation AEM electrolyzer, reducing dynamic response time from 30 seconds in the previous generation to 10 seconds, making it suitable for wind and solar power's fluctuating output. It has also passed grid connection tests with Siemens Gamesa wind turbines.

IV. Industry Synergy: Cross-Sector Collaboration and Industry Chain Integration

Electrolyzer and Power Grid Companies Jointly Build Virtual Power Plants

On May 9, the State Grid Corporation of China and Sungrow signed an agreement to jointly develop a "electrolyzer + ESS + wind power" virtual power plant project in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, generating auxiliary service revenue through electrolyzer participation in power grid peak shaving.

Model Innovation: Electrolyzer companies can earn additional income through electricity price spread arbitrage but must bear operational efficiency losses due to power grid dispatching instructions.

Acceleration of Localisation in "Chokehold" Links on the Material Side

On May 12, Baoti Group announced the mass production of the third-generation titanium-based composite electrode plates. These plates offer 60% better corrosion resistance than imported products and a 35% reduction in cost, and have been supplied to the 718th Research Institute of CSSC and ThyssenKrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers.

International Competition: This material has successfully replaced similar products from US-based Praxair, assisting domestic electrolyser enterprises in competing for the European market.

Research Institutes and Enterprises Jointly Establish "Zero-Carbon Electrolyser Laboratory"

On May 15, Tsinghua University and Sinopec took the lead in establishing the "Joint Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Electrolysers", focusing on SOEC and AEM technologies, with the goal of achieving near-zero carbon emissions throughout the life cycle of electrolysers by 2030.