UK-Taiwan initiative targets next-gen hydrogen production

Co-funded by Innovate UK and Taiwan’s Department of Industrial Technology via the UK-Taiwan CRD 2024 program, POWER: Printed Circuit Board Optimised Water Electrolysis with Reduced Platinum Group Metals (PGM)’ will develop Bramble’s patented Printed Circuit Board AEM electrolyser (PCBEL). The project follows the success of Bramble’s PCBEL stack technology. 

Key milestones so far include demonstrating it in a 25kW stack, operating on 0.1mol/L KOH (potassium hydroxide solution).

PCBEL has also achieved the Clean Hydrogen Partnership’s 2030 targets for performance and critical raw material content, and it leverages the high-volume, low-cost printed circuit board (PCB) supply chain, which has reached an industry-leading volume cost of $200/kW for AEM stacks.

Within the project, Bramble Energy and its partners will refine the PCBEL cell and stack design, while integrating catalysts and developing membrane electrode assemblies (MEA). 

The result will see the cost of AEM electrolyser stacks further lowered by improving durability and operational flexibility.

“This is more than just an upgrade in technology; by combining cutting-edge engineering with a commitment to affordability and sustainability, we’ll be able to push the limits of cost, performance and durability, propelling our electrolyser technology towards large-scale commercialisation,” Dr Tom Mason, CEO of Bramble Energy, said in a statement.  “Being able to deliver a low-cost, scalable and reduced precious-metal solution to hydrogen production will be an exciting turning point for the entire hydrogen economy, helping drive the transition to a clean energy future.”

According to Bramble, the POWER project positions the consortium at the forefront of the next-generation AEM electrolyser market, while paving the way for a resilient, sustainable energy infrastructure that can meet future demands.