US AEM Startup Secures €900,000 EU Grant

The US anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer startup Power to Hydrogen (P2H2) has received a €900,000 (approximately $1.04 million) grant from the European Union, sourced from the EU Regional Development Fund and awarded by the Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLIO) organization in Belgium. The funding will support the commercial demonstration of its hybrid AEM technology at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, a European hydrogen hub. Concurrently, France's Air Liquide is advancing an ammonia cracking hydrogen production project at the same port, creating complementary "green hydrogen production-transportation-distribution" industry chains.

P2H2's core competitiveness lies in its hybrid AEM electrolyzer technology, which combines the low cost of alkaline electrolyzers (ALK) with the high performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. Traditional AEM faces issues such as membrane oxidative degradation and unstable anode ionomers. P2H2 addresses these challenges with a composite structure of "AEM membrane + alkaline liquid electrolyte layer," compatible with non-precious metal catalysts. The current density reaches 1.5–2 A/cm² (compared to only 0.5–1 A/cm² for traditional alkaline electrolyzers), with an anode overpotential below 400 mV at 500 mA/cm². System energy consumption is reduced to below 4.5 kWh/Nm³-H₂, and material costs are 40%–60% lower than PEM.

Regarding project progress, P2H2 completed a Series A funding round exceeding $18 million in 2024 and has obtained initial site preparation permits. The final environmental permit is expected to be approved before the end of 2025. The originally planned "megawatt-scale" system, initially scheduled for installation in Q4 2024, has been adjusted to Q1 2026 due to approval delays, with trial operations set for Q2. The system will validate operational stability for over 8,000 hours (with a decay rate ≤5%), response to ±30%/min power fluctuations, and cost control targets under €2 million per unit.

This project is a critical step in the industrialisation of AEM technology, providing real-world operational data for the global industry. The EU's move reflects its "technology-neutral" hydrogen strategy, supporting its 2030 target of 40 GW green hydrogen capacity. For P2H2, it serves as both a technology validation platform and an opportunity to enter the European market, laying the foundation for subsequent financing and scaling. Its progress will be an important indicator for the global industrialisation of AEM technology.