Nordex presents 500-kW pressurised alkaline electrolyser prototype

Nordex Electrolyzers, part of German wind turbine manufacturer Nordex SE (ETR:NDX1), on Monday presented its first in-house-developed prototype of a 500-kW pressurized alkaline electrolyser, which was designed, manufactured and assembled entirely in Navarra, Spain.

Nordex simultaneously inaugurated a test bench on the site of its blade factory in Lumbier, where the electrolyser will be validated.

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“This prototype is part of Nordex Electrolyzers’ proposed business development plan, which aims to have the final design of its serializable MW-scale product available by 2026,” said Nordex Electrolyzers CEO Luis Solla. According to the announcement, the first of the prototypes with 50 kW, operational since 2023, is currently undergoing testing and characterisation at Nordex Electrolyzers’ facility in Puertollano, Ciudad Real. The 500-kW prototype can produce more than 10 kg of hydrogen per hour with less than 50 kWh of energy per kg and is designed to work with power changes and frequent stops.

Nordex expects that its global manufacturing footprint will help Nordex Electrolyzers become a leading electrolyser maker, enabling the company to integrate hydrogen generation into its value chain.

Nordex Electrolyzers was set up in 2022 as a joint venture with the government of Navarra, with regional development agency SODENA (Sociedad de Desarrollo de Navarra) holding a 15% stake. At the moment, it has 26 employees. The electrolyser development plan is partially financed with EUR 12 million (USD 12.9m) by the European Commission through an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) under the Hy2Tech programme.

(EUR 1 = USD 1.071)