Hydrogen continues to gain traction as a viable and important tool to address climate change in California. Now, thanks to new technology being tested by H2U Technologies and SoCalGas, a new, less expensive electrolyzer is emerging for making green hydrogen from water and renewable electricity. 

The new electrolyzer, called the Gramme 50, was designed by H2U Technologies. According to early analysis, the cost target of the new technology is half that of current electrolyzers and the total cost of ownership over its life is expected to be 75% less. Less expensive technologies such as this can start a “virtuous cycle” of cost reductions, increased scale-up, and further cost reductions in turn.

The green hydrogen produced by this new technology can be used for clean transportation or industrial applications or blended with natural gas. Green hydrogen offers the ability to store renewable electricity across months and seasons, an advantage over battery storage. 

In addition, SoCalGas’ work with H2U Technologies includes validation studies on the performance of new non-precious metal catalysts, which are materials used to initiate and accelerate the chemical process of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.  

These efforts could help drive down hydrogen production costs.