MAN, Quest One For Large-Scale Electrolyzer Testing

 

Electrolyzer manufacturer Quest One has started construction of a demonstration plant for its Modular Hydrogen Platform (MHP) PEM electrolyzer in Augsburg, Germany. The electrolyzer will be installed in a test stand at the Turbocharger Performance Center on the Augsburg site of MAN Energy Solutions, where it will generate data in test operation for continuous optimization. With the demonstration plant, Quest One is turning large electrolyzers into a tangible experience. Operational constraints often mean that these plants cannot be viewed while they are in use at customers’ sites. The joint project aims to change this. By mid-2025, it will be possible for potential customers as well as for project developers and engineering, procurement, and construction companies to visit the demonstration plant. This will give them valuable insights into the construction phases, dimensions, inner workings, and infrastructure.

A second objective of the joint project with MAN Energy Solutions is to continuously optimize the scale of PEM electrolyzers on the base of field data and to further refine both the system operation as well as the installation and service concept.

“It is essential to have industrial scale electrolyzers to meet the huge demand for green hydrogen in the future. With our new hydrogen demonstration plant, we will show that the technology for industrial-scale hydrogen production already exists,” said Jürgen Klöpffer, chair of the advisory board of Quest One and member of the executive board of MAN Energy Solutions. “In particular, our PEM electrolysis technology is perfectly suited for use with renewable energy sources and stands out with a high hydrogen quality. Prospects can now experience these advantages at our demonstration plant.”

Construction began at the end of 2024. The plant will be assembled over the course of 2025, with test operations beginning in 2026.

The MHP is currently the largest PEM electrolyzer in Quest One’s product portfolio. Its scalable modular system makes it particularly suitable for industrial production of green hydrogen. Module blocks with an output of 10 MW can be expanded and combined to create plants with an electrolysis capacity from 10 to several hundred megawatts. The system is optimized for easy indoor installation on preassembled skids. Each 10-megawatt block is equipped with integrated process water treatment and an electrical power supply.