HOELLER Electrolyzer GmbH – An Interview with Stefan Höller.
Prometheus, the innovative PEM electrolysis stacks, is the result of more than 25 years of expertise and pioneering work by Stefan Höller. Mr. Höller is the founder, managing director and head of development of HOELLER Electrolyzer GmbH.
Hydrogen production, electrolysis and stacks are in and of themselves not new technologies. So, what is it about Prometheus Stacks that is genuinely innovative?
“To sum it up: thanks to the in-house innovations we’ve made in construction and materials, Prometheus Stacks offer high performance and low cost while also being 25 percent smaller and lighter than comparable products. This step forward is based on our 25 years of experience. We managed to optimize the surfaces of the cells, while simultaneously reducing the use of precious materials and increasing the operating pressure. This all makes Prometheus Stacks extremely economical, meaning they can be produced in large quantities.”
What kind of efficiency level is Hoeller going for with Prometheus Stacks?
“The PEM electrolysis stacks available at the moment have an efficiency level of about 70%. Because of our innovative solutions, we’ll be able to outperform the stacks available on the market right now. After a test operation period at end of 2021. We’ll be able to providing exact figures when Prometheus is available in spring 2022.”
Prometheus stacks play a part in bringing the price of hydrogen down to below €4 per kilo. How important do you think this is for increasing acceptance and use of hydrogen?
“The energy transition will only succeed if it becomes economical to use renewable energies. Part of that is having a competitive price for hydrogen, one not driven up artificially by taxes and duties. With Prometheus Stacks being so efficient and having such an outstanding price-to-performance ratio, we’ll be seriously helping to reduce hydrogen production costs.”
Where do you think the three Prometheus Stacks (S, M and L) can be best put to use?
“The Prometheus product line will be a success in a multitude of hydrogen production applications. Prometheus S will for example be able to supply an apartment building, or a small fleet of fuel cell intralogistics vehicles at a company. Prometheus M is suited to operating a public hydrogen filling station or a large logistics fleet. With Prometheus L, we take in the capacity of a small wind farm, which means we can provide sufficient hydrogen for industrial use.”
What role does the size and compactness of the stacks have to play here?
“The compact design helps our customers to rethink the facilities currently in place. For example, they can integrate our stacks directly into the head of a wind turbine without any hassle. Having a compact design is also a major advantage for many production sites and industrial facilities.”
Why is it that Prometheus Stacks might become a kind of “plant engineer’s darling”?
“Because of their compact construction and how little they require in terms of system environments; they will be easy to integrate into new and existing systems. Our stacks are highly efficient and produce hydrogen with high output pressure. And they do all that while having an impressive price-to-performance ratio.”
Prometheus is going to undergo a real-world test this year: where and when will the first Hoeller Stack be deployed?
“We don’t just want to prepare our stack for test operation. We want to test it for batch production in a real-life application. We’re proud to conduct test operations in a certified green industrial park in Grevesmühle, near Wismar.
Where do you see hydrogen and stacks in five to ten years?
“We believe passionately that hydrogen will be a key component of the energy transition, and thus a part of our future energy infrastructure. Today, it’s tough to estimate how the individual sectors of the hydrogen economy will develop. What’s clear though is that storage of renewable energy will be a vital part of these developments. And we’re doing our bit with our products.”
Visit Hoeller’s website for more info on their electrolyzer – https://www.hoeller-electrolyzer.com/
Send them an email to get in touch – info@hoeller-electrolyzer.com
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